


When in Detroit Remember to Listen to the Moon

by Cara_luca



Series: Remember to Listen to the Moon [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Cat Owner Gavin Reed, Cat owner Nines, Chases, Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Is a Good Bro, Connor Deserves Happiness, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Siblings, F/M, Fluff, Gavin has a dog, Gay Gavin Reed, Good Elijah Kamski, Good Parent Hank Anderson, Hank Anderson Adopts Connor, Hank Anderson Swears, Hurt Gavin Reed, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Bad At Titles, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kidnapping, M/M, Mentioned Markus (Detroit: Become Human), My First AO3 Post, My First Work in This Fandom, Nines is a badass, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), POV Multiple, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Protective Hank Anderson, Protective Upgraded Connor | RK900, RK900 goes by Nines, Revolutionary Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Upgrade Connor | RK900 Needs a Hug, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, Violence, Work In Progress, Worried Connor (Detroit: Become Human), detroit become human fan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2019-11-16 14:01:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 75,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18095720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cara_luca/pseuds/Cara_luca
Summary: When Cara and Clay get hauled out to Detroit to bring back order, things spiral out of their hands fast. Will Nines and Connor be able to help close this case or will someone be lost in the fray? Times running out and the moon is calling.





	1. Hello, android sent by Cyberlife. My name is None of your Business

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in a world where werewolves exist and things go all sorts of sideways in a heart beat. There are original characters alongside some of our favorites from Detroit. The POV is listed by name each time the POV changes. I'm not entirely one with this work just yet and plan to have multiple parts to this series. Please leave any comments you have, always seeking to improve it. Hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Cara and Clay get hauled out to Detroit to bring back order, things spiral out of their hands fast. Will Nines and Connor be able to help close this case or will someone be lost in the fray? Times running out and the moon is calling.
> 
> "Connor had no time to react as she shoved him. I was half way to them when I heard the glass shatter. I dove just as I saw him disappear over the edge. I caught hold of his arm before he fell the 3 stories. I heard the deviants run off. I felt the glass cutting into my flesh as I held him there.  
> I looked into his eyes and I knew. He knew."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set in a world where werewolves exist and things go all sorts of sideways in a heart beat. There are original characters alongside some of our favorites from Detroit. The POV is listed by name each time the POV changes. I'm not entirely one with this work just yet and plan to have multiple parts to this series. Please leave any comments you have, always seeking to improve it. Hope you enjoy!

 

CARA

 

Hurrying along the freezing streets of Detroit, I turned the corner and shuffled down the dirty alley. I kept my ears perked and attentive to any indicators of others. Scenting, I followed the trail into a broken, dusty building. 

I couldn’t tell what the building had once been. The floors were littered with all sorts of debris. Heavy machinery lay crippled along its edges. Desks and chairs were sprinkled between. Another crypt of the long dead industrial Detroit I had once known. The darkened room would’ve hindered anyone else, but I didn’t need that much light. I crept along, listening. I heard a quiet shuffling not too far off. _Gotcha._ I hurried my pace and crept towards a panel of dirty windows. Somewhere in this room was the source of the sound. Hopefully this would be quick and relatively mess free. I couldn’t wait to get back home.

A sudden flurry of sound made me whip around. A human came bursting through one of the doors. _Damnit, this complicates things._ I scented to see how many there might be as I heard scrambling at the back of the room. _Shit!_ I needed to get back to my hunt. Then it hit me. There were no other scents.

_Android._

The next thing to hit me was the android itself. Fist connecting with my jaw, I stumbled back. _What the hell?_ I grabbed for its arm then heard a booming pop. I felt the cutting burn. My grip loosened, and I stumbled back. I looked up to see another android.  Female. _Deviants?_ The male android I had been holding, turned and raised its arm, ready to strike. I rolled away and clutched my side. Sticky liquid stained my hand. _Fuck._ I locked eyes with the female as she charged me. I grappled with her and managed to knock the gun away.

She was fast. I fell back, deflecting blows as they came. A well-placed kick sent me flying back into the wall. There, I crumpled, gasping for breath. I looked up to see the female disappearing around the corner. I tried to follow as the male took aim. _Oh shit._ I braced, ready to take a, hopefully not fatal, hit. The door crashed open.

“Freeze, Detroit police!” _Mother fucker. This just kept getting worse._  The android shot off. My breath huffed out. _That hurt like a sonofabitch_. Turning on its heel the deviant bolted away.

Suddenly brown eyes were all I could see.

“Hold still. Help is on the way. You’ve been shot.”

“I’m well aware.” I watched those brown eyes widen, surprised by my biting remark. Then I saw his face. _Just perfect._

“I’m Connor. I’m with the Detroit police.” His voice was soft and gentle. Reassuring. His hands took mine and pressed them against my wounds.

“I’m fine.” His eyes narrowed slightly. _Just walk away._

“Apply pressure. My back up is on the way.” With that he rose and drew his gun. He made his way after the androids. I hit my head back against the wall. _Fuck. Fuck. FUCK._ Everything that could have gone wrong had. My ears perked up catching shuffling. My target hadn’t left the building maybe. Or it was the androids. Then I realized. Connor had no idea there were two androids and likely something else. I shouldn’t care but fuck I did.

Sucking in a breath, I stood. The bleeding had slowed. I discarded my coat and crept after the androids, trying to convince myself that this was just about maintaining secrets and not some care for a face I’d seen a lot of over the past year.

 

My ears, alert, swiveled, about trying to catch any sound. Then I heard the scuffle. I rushed forward only to be knocked off my feet. I saw the female android standing over me. She looked away from me and I turned my head to see what she was seeing. Connor was gaining the upper hand on the other android. Then I heard her feet shift. I saw her start to move out of my peripherals and I scrambled to move.

I watched as she charged ahead. Connor had no time to react as she shoved him. I was half way to them when I heard the glass shatter. I dove just as I saw him disappear over the edge. I caught hold of his arm before he fell the 3 stories. I heard the deviants run off. I felt the glass cutting into my flesh as I held him there.

I looked into his eyes and I knew. _He knew._

 

CONNOR

 

As I hung there, stories above the ground, I wondered who this was. She wasn’t an android. The blood and vital signs confirmed that much. But at her size and build, she shouldn’t have been able to hold me with the ease she did.

I had heard whispers. Whispers of other beings that had been hiding even after the deviant crisis. Logically, I had dismissed these claims. Life as a deviant seemed to have less, and less logic involved, however. As she pulled me up, I wondered what she might possibly be. I pulled myself the rest of the way up and we stayed there kneeling.

Clearly, she wasn’t android. But that strength wasn’t human. I watched as the cuts on her chest and arms healed. What was she? Was she part of this case? What should I do?

 

 _Connor? We’re on site. Where are you?_ Nines voice echoed through my mind.

_Third floor. I think I have a mystery for us. Living being. Not human._

_One of the deviants?_

_Not quite. I’m not sure what she is._

_We’re on our way in._

_Got it._

“Thank you.” I kept my voice quiet. A quick scan revealed an elevated heart rate and increased adrenaline. She was scared. Of what? Me? I turned to look at her as she responded. A large purple bruise adorned her cheek where I assume the deviant struck her. But even as I watched, the bruise began to fade at the edges. Truly what was she?

 

CARA

 

As I hauled Connor back up, I took stock of him. Simple dark jeans with a grey knit sweater under a leather jacket. I was surprised to see it was brown and worn with age. Did he purposely pick something worn? His gun was nowhere to be seen. I wondered where it might have gone. I stayed crouched there and he stayed kneeling beside me. I didn’t dare bolt for it. I wasn’t guilty of anything right?

“Thank you.” It was so quiet I almost thought I misheard. I relaxed ever so slightly.

“You’re welcome.” I shifted my position to sit. I looked at him then. If I were in any other circumstance, I might have trusted him more. But he was a cop. And I looked awful guilty. I brushed my hair back out of my face and his hand ensnared my wrist.

“What are you? You’re clearly not human. But you bleed like one. And you have a heart like one.” He looked at me intensely and I suddenly felt very small. I hadn’t gone toe to toe with androids much and I wasn’t willing to gamble my strength getting me out of this one.

“Some of us felt a little freer after the deviant crisis. But it does make you wonder what else is hiding there in plain sight right?” I carefully pulled my wrist back and he complied in releasing me.

“It does make you wonder.”

“But we all just want to live, don’t we? Human. Deviant. Other.” I carefully shifted to stand.

“Wait. Come with me. I need answers and you’re in need of medical attention. I don’t think you’d be going to a regular hospital. Considering I’ve watched you heal significantly faster than any human ever could.” His hand wrapped itself around my forearm but was gentle. I looked at him as he stood and released me. He held his hand out and I weighed my options. It wasn’t really a choice. He was right, and I was lost in this city. My partner was god knows where. I took his hand and allowed him to help me up.

“Connor, I can’t answer much. I was hoping to avoid any DPD, actually. Figures I’d run into one of the most televised faces of DPD.” I tucked my hands into my pockets and began walking back to the other room.

“You know me?” He blinked in surprise, “Why avoid the police?” He fell into step beside me easily. I figured that was easy to him though.

“Connor. One of three famous androids. Cyberlife’s second most advanced prototype to hit the world. The only RK800 model. Serial number 313 248 317. Partner to Lieutenant Hank Anderson. Prototype to the RK900 model. The lone survivor of which is on the force with you. Yeah, I know about you.” I didn’t look up at him as I picked my coat up off the floor. I bit back a wince as I slipped it back on and zipped it shut, effectively hiding most of the blood.

“And why avoid the DPD?” He put his hands in his pockets and blocked me from moving further down the hall. I sighed heavily. I turned my head at the sound of quiet footsteps coming up the stairs. As the door opened and the figures stepped through, I cursed. Just what I needed. I took an involuntary step back as the RK900 stepped closer. One android was a gamble. Two? Especially two RK models? Suicide.

“Tin can are you harassing a witness?” The gruff voice came from beside the large android and I finally paid attention to the last person in the room. A smaller male. Human. What the hell kind of nightmare was I just thrust into? The human pushed the RK900 model slightly and I swear I saw affectionate annoyance come across the android’s face.

“Detective Reed, I was simply escorting her to the car to take her for some medical attention before getting her statement. I think Nines may have startled her.” _Nines? Fucking NINES? That’s the name that machine had? Okay, less terrifying. But only slightly._ Nines watched me with interest. With a small dip of his head he apologized.

“I apologize miss…” When I offered no name he continued, “I sometimes forget that I can be quite a bit more intimidating than Connor.” He half smiled at me and I saw his LED spin. Blue. He was processing. Processing what?

“If you’ll excuse me, I should take her out of the crime scene.” Connor gripped my arm and gently coaxed me out. As we passed Nines, I saw his eyes narrow and a flash of yellow before Connor ushered me fully out.

 

CONNOR

_She’s tiny._ Nines voice echoed in my mind as I watched Gavin take stock of the small female next to me.

 _I’m aware. That makes her saving my life all the more perplexing._ Nines watched her with further interest and a quick scan revealed rising stress levels.

“Detective Reed, I was simply escorting her to the car to take her for some medical attention before getting her statement. I think Nines may have startled her.” I voiced and watched her voice gape slightly. I stifled a chuckle. Of course, she’d be taken aback by RK900’s chosen name.

_You want me to apologize?_

_It would be the proper thing to do._

_What about the crime scene?_ I heard Nines even as he apologized to the mystery female.

_Can you take over? Come to Hank’s afterwards and we can all debrief. I don’t think this case is going to be as easy as we’re used to._

_We should turn her in._

_Nines, we were once like her._

“If you’ll excuse me, I should take her out of the crime scene.” Taking her arm, I moved to leave the crime scene. Nines took Gavin’s arm and ushered him away before her could protest. As we passed, I felt her tense beneath my grip. Suddenly, she kept step much easier. I would have to speak with Nines more later.

 

CARA

 

Connor and I exited the building and the chill of Detroit settled against me. I wanted to shed my coat but right now was not a good time. We walked a small way wordlessly. A car pulled up and sure as hell, none other than Hank Anderson sat in the driver’s seat. I sighed heavily and resigned myself to this path.

“Connor, what the hell? What’re Nines and Dickhead doing- “Hank cut off as he saw me.

“Lieutenant.” I said with the dip of my head. 

“Hank, we should head home.” Connor opened the door and ushered me into the car. Reluctantly, I got in and sat in the center.

“Connor what the hell is going on?” I unzipped my jacket and made a show of it.

“Lieutenant, we should get moving. We can explain on the way.” Hank locked eyes with me before turning to Connor and putting the car in gear.

 

Arriving at the quiet neighborhood hank lived in was fairly quick, for that, I was thankful. Connor spoked for most of the ride. He did not ask me for much input. Again, I was thankful. We quickly stepped out of the car and walked up to the door. Excited barking greeted Hank as he opened the door. The large Saint Bernard leapt all over Hank and the Connor as they entered.

“Sumo! Down you damn mutt!” Hank tried to contain the animal but soon he made a beeline for me.

“Sumo. Sit.” I spoke with quiet purpose and Sumo happily sat before me. Connor tossed me a small hand towel and I caught it easily. I wiped my hands before closing the door behind me. I patted Sumo’s great blocky head and gave him a small scratch behind the ear.

“How did you do that?” Hank stood astounded by my small feat.

“Uhh…” I stupidly responded as I continued to pet Sumo.

“Perhaps we should take the questions to the kitchen.” Connor set a bottle of liquor on the kitchen table and pulled a chair out to sit. I pursed my lips and moved to the kitchen. We all gathered and sat.

“So, is one of you gonna tell me how the hell she saved your ass?” Hank pointed at us in turn as he grabbed the glass and bottle. He poured himself a glass before offering a second to me. Gratefully, I took the glass and took a small sip.

“Perhaps a name would be easier.” Connor folded his hands in front of him on the table before looking to me expectantly.

“Ah fuck, I never gave you a name. My poppa woulda beat my ass for being so rude.” I had to be at ease here. I was in the loin’s den at this point. “Cara. My name is Cara.”

“Cara. Is that a real name?” Hank looked at me as he raised his glass. A raise brow partnered the glass.

“Yes, it’s my name. I may be here under the radar but that is my name. Now uh Connor? Could you do me a favor? I kinda need these removed.” I lifted my stained shirt to reveal the two gunshot wounds.

“You want me to heal you?” Both their eyes narrowed at me.

“Not quite, I’ll heal fine on my own, but I can’t while the bullets are inside.” I continued at his hesitation. “Look, I’m not going anywhere. I would like to be more comfortable though, given that I’m going to be having to launch into story time.” Connor rose to comply. He pushed his sleeves up before taking the towel from me.

“How do you propose we do this?”

“Just make a small cut and go searching.” Hank poured another drink and Connor looked at me confused.

“A cut? With a knife?” I sighed and figured, I was going to have to give up my story anyways. I knew the look of a hunter when I saw one. Nines wasn’t going to let me go that easy. Even if Connor stood up for me. I was fucked. I let a claw grow and I sliced two horizontal lines, widened the wound so Connor could get the bullets out.

He set to work wordlessly. I bit back my winces and flinches. I would not give either of them the full view of my pain.

“Oh god I think I’m gonna be sick.” Hank sipped at his drink as Connor plucked out the first bullet.

“You’re welcome to leave Lieutenant.” I smiled but ended up wincing at him.

“You’re in my house remember?” He sat stubbornly and finally Connor plucked the last bullet out. He folded them into the towel and set them aside. He brought me gauze and medical tape. I thanked him with surprise and bandaged myself up.

“You might want to keep those for evidence. Not sure.” Sumo laid not far from us with a huff and I settled back.

“You said you’d talk. I think you should get to talking.” Hank crossed his arms and I sighed.

“Yeah. I did. I wasn’t in that building for the deviants. I didn’t give a rat’s ass about them. I was hunting my target. This isn’t my turf. I’m not familiar with this city. So, I was following what I could. My partner is out there somewhere doing the same thing I was. We aren’t supposed to meet back up until tomorrow. I was interrupted by your androids. I don’t know why my target was near them. I really don’t. But what I do know is Detroit has seen a significant rise in violent homicides in the past three weeks. Now isn’t a good time for me to be far from home but we had to step in. We’re risking exposure or worse if I just sat back.” Connor’s LED spun and blinked. No doubt scanning me and cross checking. Then I noticed the increase in blinks.

“So, what you’re saying is, you’re here hunting? Hunting what exactly?” Hank knew that the rise in homicides would be something that could be searched easily, naturally he went to the next question.

“Yes. I’m here hunting. I need to contact my partner.”

“What are you hunting?”

“Well Connor, considering you’re LED has been spinning like a disco ball, and you’ve been blinking a bit more than your usual, let’s just wait for Detective Reed and Nines to arrive.” I sat back and sipped at my drink.

“How did you know?”

“I haven’t survived as long as I have on sheer luck.” As if on cue, I heard a car door close and Sumo rose to scramble to the door. He began barking as Hank gruffly stood.

“Sumo, come.” I spoke quietly, and the lumbering dog complied. Hank stared at me dumbfounded. He opened the door and Nines raised his hand in greeting. I moved to the living room and plopped down onto the floor. Sumo meandered over to Nines and lapped at his hand. He was rewarded with a pat before the android sat across from me on the floor. Detective Reed plopped into a chair while Hank and Connor took up the couch. Sumo leapt up to be between Connor and Hank.

“The crime scene was interesting. Didn’t think to tell us she was bleeding Connor?” Reed was clearly displeased. Nines stared directly at me. No doubt taking in the fact that I wasn’t dead for one and that my bruise was significantly lighter.

“That wasn’t important. I had made Nines aware.” I felt like some small piece of a bigger mess and all I wanted was to slip away.

“Not important? Are you short circuiting or just that stupid?”

“Gavin shut your fucking mouth and listen will ya?” Hank interrupted before Connor could fire back.

“There were multiple suspects in the warehouse. None of which we were able to apprehend. What was puzzling was the fur found at the crime scene.” I winced. I had hoped the scene would be clean.

“Fur?”

“Yeah fucking fur dipshit. Closest match? Fucking wolf. That’s the closest thing Nines’ database could find. But it still wasn’t exactly right. So, what are deviants doing hauling around some wolf pets?” Reed was pissed.

Nines stared right at me. _He knew beyond a doubt. Fuck._ I felt real cornered now. And suddenly all eyes were on me. I stood. Unable to be on the lower ground any longer. Nines sat. Making it very clear that he didn’t need higher ground. My heart started pounding.

“Cara, it’s alright. No one is going to hurt you. Can you give us more information?” Connor’s voice was low and soothing. His presence was soothing. Model 800. He was built to be the perfect investigator. Nines was meant to be intimidating and terrifying. What was his original purpose? My mind raced even as my heart slowed, and I sat back down.

“Wolf fur would be your closest match. Not perfect because you’re not dealing with a normal wolf. You asked what I was hunting. I’m hunting a rouge of my kind. Three weeks of terror. Unexplainable murder scenes. You assumed a large dog, but you were wrong.”

“The fuck are you talking about?” Gavin leaned forward now.

“She’s talking about werewolves.” Nines cold voice cut across the room.

“You’re all fucking insane? Werewolves? What are we high on red ice?” Gavin looked about the room but even Hank was silent.

“Yeah werewolves. There was some benefit to the deviant crisis for us. For example, in colder climates, we could get away with wearing less than the average human. No one really bats an eye at that. Strength, speed, etc. Easier to explain away. Of course, we had to be more careful at the same time. Our voracious appetites and faster healing are not android traits.” I lifted my shirt to reveal the bandages beneath. I pulled them away and revealed unmarred skin. Gavin visibly sat back.

“Hiding in plain sight. What else is out there?” Hank cocked his head to peg me with a stare.

“Honestly, lieutenant- “

“Hank.”

“Hank,” I started again slowly, “I haven’t the slightest clue. All I know is my kind is out there and it’s my job to keep us all in line. There are several packs out there in charge of keeping the peace. I have no idea what has happened out here, but I was called by the locals to take care of this. My partner and I came out here to handle it. I was on the trail of the rouge when the deviants caught me off guard. They must’ve assumed I was DPD. Connor came in and went after the deviants. I should’ve just slipped away but I couldn’t…risk Connor catching my target first.”

“Lie.” Nines stared me down and challenged me to argue.

“I shouldn’t have cared if Connor ended up as collateral. But I did. I knew his story. How could I let someone who’s survived all this shit, die? The second I lunged to catch him, I knew there was no going back. I knew he had back up coming already. Running would’ve been pointless. Regardless, it seems our paths have crossed and the more I think about it, the less I think it’s coincidence.” I began pacing.

“You think your rouge has something to do with the deviants?” Hank sat back now, tilting his head back.

“There have been homicides with no fingerprints in the vicinity of these so-called animal attacks. We assumed it was just deviants finding creative ways to kill. But couldn’t the wolves just do this on their own?” Connor’s LED worked around and around.

“No. new wolves like that, so out of control, there’s no way they could open the door to leave the scene. The lack of prints and lack of break in suggests an android had to have present.”

“You think deviants are using this out of control animal to carry out their kills?”

“Like attack dogs used by drug lords.” I winced and hesitantly nodded.

“Nines didn’t mean any disrespect. It just seems like you’re considering this rouge as less than human.” Connor softly interjected.

“He’s right though. It is an animal. The beast as taken over and left the human shut out. But that was a human. Could still be. And Gavin is right. The rouge is being used like an attack…animal.” I refused to say dog. I couldn’t.

“So how do we carry out this case?” Nines stood then, and I kept eye contact with him.

“I’m not giving up my people just so you can solve a case.”

“What about humans, huh? Are we just meat or something to you?” Gavin rose, hands balled into fists.

“I can’t act with the DPD. This can’t go that far. You think humans are gonna take this easily? Especially so soon after their slaves revolted and showed them that they aren’t the apex predator?” I saw Connor flinch and Nines eyes narrowed.

“So that still leaves the question. What do we do now?” Hank was the only one in the room that was totally relaxed.

“Let me contact my partner. We need to decide. I will promise this, I will help make this stop.” I suddenly felt tired. I sat back down and put my face into my hands. Sumo came to rest next to me and placed a big paw on my leg.

“So how do we contact your partner?” Gavin sounded closer than before and I didn’t dare look.

“I don’t think you want to be around for that.”

“I don’t think you have a choice.” Nines sounded like he was above me and I tensed. I looked up and sure as fuck, he was there towering over me. I started to growl but swallowed it. He offered his hand and I ignored it. I stood and walked to the kitchen.

“What is it you need?”

“Fuck off Nines, I’m not a domestic pet. Let me think of how to best do this.” I rubbed my face with wet hands and worked at a knot in my neck.

“Better think faster.” I whipped around and got right in Gavin’s face. Nines stepped closer and I fisted Gavin’s shirt.

“You better not scream like a little bitch.” I released him and stomped to the bathroom.

“Where are you going?”

“To contact my partner. Connor? Hank? I’m gonna need one of you to open the door for me once I’m ready.” Hank’s brow furrowed in confusion and Connor cocked his head, equally confused. I stepped into the bathroom without another explanation. I whipped my clothes off and stood for a moment. Shaking my hands, I breathed and allowed myself to reach deep for the animal. I low whine escaped me as I fell to all fours. I heard bones crack and pop as the human form gave way to the wolf. I lay on the bathroom floor for a moment panting. I blinked a few times before raising my head. I yawned and let my tongue loll out. I stood and stretched allowing more joints to pop and settle into place. I shook off and allowed myself a moment before I whined louder.

“Cara?” Connor’s voice drifted through the door hesitantly. I woofed quietly at him. _Yes, open the door please. I don’t have thumbs._ The door opened slowly, and I backed up. I made myself look as puppy-like as I could. I kept my ears pulled back but slightly to the side and my tail low, wagging it slightly. Connor’s eyes widened slightly, and his LED spun yellow. I dipped my head low and took a tentative step closer. He eased himself down to my level, which wasn’t all that low considering I was probably slightly larger than Sumo. Connor held his hand out and I lapped at it carefully. I let my tail wag more.

“Oh wow.” He whispered breathlessly as he reached out to rub my ear. I leaned my head into his hand and sighed.

“Connor, the fuck’s going on?” Hank’s impatient voice called. I carefully pushed passed Connor and slowly crept out.

“What the fuck?” Gavin backed up a step while Nines moved in front of him. My head cocked to the side taking in the odd display. Hank had tensed up but seemed to be okay. I sat and wagged my tail.

“Seems this is her best way to contact her partner. But that leaves us no way to communicate.” I whined in protest.

“Oh, you have a plan?” Gavin’s sarcastic voice made my hackles want to rise. I kept my composure, realizing that Gavin’s defense was sarcasm and general assholeness. I stared at Nines and woofed gently before deliberately thumping my tail.

“Let me guess, one thump for yes, two for no?” Nines said sarcastically. I thumped my tail once. He rolled his eyes and I narrowed mine. _It’s what I got asshole._

“Fuck you too.” I blinked in surprise. I cocked my head. _Are you sure you can’t hear me? Because I’d love to piss on your shoes right now._

“Okay well I think you should try to contact your partner.” Hank kept us focused on the task at hand. I thumped my tail once.

 _Clay? Clay you hear me?_ I swiveled my ears about, hoping.

_Cara? Cara where the fuck are you? Any signs of the rouge?_

_Well Clay, that’s a complicated question._  

_Are you hurt? Captured? What’s going on?_

_Clay, breathe. I’m okay. But uh, you remember that deviant hunter?_

_Connor?_

_Yeah, um I’m at his house. I think. Well I’m at the lieutenant’s house. With Connor._

_Cara, what happened…_

_Can you just come here? It’s complicated. And just stay calm okay?_

_Yeah, sure. What’s the address?_ I blinked. Crap how had I forgotten to get the address?

_Uh hold on, I’m gonna need to fetch that._

_Not the time for puns._ I ignored Clay as I wandered over to Connor. I whined at him.

“Everything okay?” I sat and thumped once.

“What do you need?” Nines spoked from close behind me. I looked behind me to find him kneeling there. I thought about how to communicate best. Then I figured it out. I trotted to the kitchen and searched for a bill or some form of mail.

“Food? Seriously mutt?” I snarled. Nines pegged me with a glare.

“What else would be in a kitchen worth searching for?”

“Mail you idiots.” Hank wandered up to me and kneeled in front of me. I sat and thumped my tail once. “You need the address, don’t you?” I thumped once. I received a head rub from Hank and he smiled. He repeated the address and I happily relayed it to Clay.

 

“You realize that there’s no way you can pass for a normal dog, right?” Nines asked crossing his arms. I thumped once.

“At least it’d be easy to sneak around. That black fur is perfect for night stalking.” Gavin came into the kitchen, seemingly having lost some of his fear.

“She’s as big, if not bigger, than Sumo. How the fuck have we missed an animal this big in Detroit?” I laid down and put my head on my paws. I huffed out a breath. Hank went back to the living room and I followed suit. I laid not far away and relaxed. I heard more than felt the body come sit next to me. I opened my eyes to see Nines. He seemed to be calculating. Then his hand sank into my fur. I tensed and so did he. His LED spun yellow. _Was this new to him? But I’d seen him pet Sumo._ Then it occurred to me, what if Nines was new to deviating? I relaxed beneath his hand and slowly, his fingers began to make lazy circles.

“Nines, we should head home. We’ll need rest before we consider how to report all this. Good thing it’s our day off tomorrow. Yours too.” Gavin stood next to Nines and me. I sat up and Nines didn’t remove his hand. Tentatively I bumped my head against his neck. He gave me one last scratch before standing. He and Gavin left after goodbyes and promises to follow up.

“Cara, most humans would prefer a shower after the day you’ve had.” Connor’s gentle suggestion reminded me of just how tired I really was. I thumped my tail once.

“There’s spare towels in the bathroom. Go shower and I’ll order pizza. I’m sure we can find some smaller clothes to fit you.” Hank rose as he spoke. I whined in protest. My clothes were fine.

“Nu-ah-ah-ah. No whining. You can’t shower just to get back into blood stained clothes.” Connor disappeared down the hall and I dropped my tail in resignation. Connor returned with both new clothes and my dirty ones.

“I’ll set the new ones in the bathroom. I’ll wash these and see what we can salvage.” Connor smiled at me before returning down the hall. I trotted to Hank and bumped my head against his leg.

“Yeah, yeah, your welcome. Now go get cleaned up. I ordered a couple of large meat pizzas.” He affectionately patted my head and I trotted off. Connor waited in front of the bathroom for me.

“I’ll get the door. That way you don’t have to worry about it.” I woofed a thank you as I stepped into the bathroom. He closed the door and I sat there for a moment. Yeah, I guess a huge black wolf would scare most people. But why were they taking it in stride?

I allowed myself to change back and locked the door. I started the water and stepped beneath the spray. The hot water felt good on my muscles. I quickly showered before wrapping myself in a towel. I picked up the clothes that Connor had found. The shirt was a men’s small and so were the sweats. DPD issue. Neither Hank nor Connor wore small. There was just no way. Spares for no reason? Didn’t matter. I realized one thing before I pulled them on. Connor had left me my underwear. _Thanks man._ I stepped out of the bathroom as the doorbell rang.

The smell of food greeted me. My snarling stomach demanded that I go get my share. I tiptoed out and found Connor in the living room with Sumo while Hank set the pizza boxes on the table. I timidly wandered over. Hank caught sight of my and quirked the corner of his lips up.

“Bit big but what can ya do? We don’t have ladies living around here.” I held back and waited.

“What’re ya waiting for? An invite? Dig in.” Hank handed me a plate and I reached for a slice. His already had 3 on it. I slipped 3 slices onto my plate and followed him out to the living room.

“Is something wrong Cara? You seem skittish.” Connor watched me carefully.

“Uh well, most people don’t take the news of werewolves too well. So, I guess I’m taken off guard.”

“Listen, I figure your being a wolf is as much a choice as Connor being an android. But you can choose to be more or less of a human. Just like the deviants did. We’re all just people struggling to get by. Gavin probably bitched his shit to Nines the whole way home. And Connor? Well Connor has been surprising me since he showed up.” Hank bit into his pizza and that left little to be discussed.

“Thank you. Both of you.” I bit into my pizza and we descended into silence.

 

Sometime later I woke to a blanket being draped over me. “Woah, it’s okay. I figured you might get cold.” I was still curled up in the armchair and Hank had draped a blanket over me.

“What time is it?” I started to get up but Hank’s hand on my shoulder stopped me.

“It’s almost midnight. You should rest. Connor stays in the living room too. He’ll keep an ear out for your partner. Relax and rest.” I looked over to see Connor stretched out on the couch with his own blankets and pillow. Sumo was curled on top of him. Connor’s lips tilted up into a half smile before he laid his head back and closed his eyes.

“Yeah, rest. Thank you, again. Really Hank, this is more kindness than I thought I’d ever receive out here.” Hank smiled and huffed out a quiet laugh.

“Yeah kid, that’s what we do around here. Good night.” He turned to head to bed.

“Good night Hank.” Connor called after the lieutenant. Sumo woofed and settled back onto Connor.

“Good night Connor, good night Sumo.”

“Good night everyone.” I settled into the armchair and fell into fitful sleep.

CONNOR

 

I laid awake and thought of the day’s events. Werewolves. I ran my hand slowly ran through Sumo’s fur as the big dog snored. I looked over at the small female in the armchair. She didn’t seem dangerous at all but the teeth I’d seen when she was a wolf told another story. The claws that clicked on the floor did too. Had I made the wrong decision by making Nines and Gavin wait to report this?

A frustrated sigh escaped me. Being a machine had been much easier. But I had no regrets. Life was much better this way. I thought of the best way to proceed. I concluded that Fowler would have to know about the _assistance_ we were receiving. He just didn’t need to know exactly what _kind_ of assistance we were all receiving.

My thoughts circled back to Cara. She hadn’t even flinched when I was pulling the bullets out. Her heart and vitals had shown she was in pain, but she refused to show it. I wondered why that was. She had been afraid of Nines in her human form but as a wolf, she’d relaxed into his touch and been content for a moment. What was the difference? Other than the obvious. The obvious. Of course, she felt more secure when she had teeth and claws to defend herself. What must it be like for her, I wondered?

I thought back to the large wolf I’d come face to face with when I’d opened the bathroom door. She truly looked like a wolf. Perhaps the toes a slight bit too long and the ears larger. Her eyes had been brown but as a wolf they were a brilliant icy blue, gold flecks dotted throughout. Her black fur was shiny and thick. When I’d touched her fur, it was soft. Incredibly so. She was gentle and careful with each of us. Practiced moves I’d noticed. A routine for when it was necessary to reveal herself.

_How many times had she done this? How many times had she been hurt like she had today?_

I thought about what she had said, “ _I shouldn’t have cared if Connor ended up as collateral. But I did. I knew his story. How could I let someone who’s survived all this shit, die?”_ How had she heard about my story? The news had only covered a portion of all that had happened in Detroit. Something told me she knew more than what had been reported. But how? I had barely revealed the extent of the events of that November night. I sighed and relaxed my mind. It had taken me a long time to be able to return to my mind palace after the events with Amanda.

I still shuddered on occasion when I thought about it. But now I was okay. My mind palace was peaceful. The garden was peaceful and quiet. I enjoyed a stroll about the garden. The knocking at the door brought me out of the mind palace. Sumo raised his head to bark, but I hushed him.

Gently removing Sumo, I stood to open the door. The time flashed up at me. _4:05am_

Cara was not in the armchair anymore. I scanned the room wondering if she had taken off only to find her with her blanket curled up on the floor. I chuckled and went to open the door. A male whose grey blue eyes were devoid of any amicability greeted me. I scanned the male quickly and found evidence of tension and reluctance. I stepped aside and made a sweeping gesture with my arm. The male stepped in and quietly settled into the chair Cara had been occupying. He folded his arms across his chest and promptly closed his eyes.

Guess questions would have to wait until tomorrow. Settling back onto the sofa, Sumo jumped up and relaxed.

As the sun had begun to rise, I too rose. It was time to make breakfast for Hank and feed Sumo. I set about folding up the blankets and putting them away. I moved to the kitchen and Sumo happily trotted behind me, knowing breakfast was on the way. I filled Sumo’s bowl and set it down for him to enjoy. The dog quickly consumed his food and trotted away.

“Where are ya going bud?” Sumo settled next to Cara and she snuggled closer. A smile lit my face as I set about making breakfast.

 

Soon I had a good lot of bacon and eggs piled up on two plates. Pancakes steadily built up on a platter and the house began to stir. Hank emerged sleepily from his room before plopping himself into a chair. Cara stirred and stretched with a loud yawn. Sumo descended on her with slobbery licks.

“Sumo! Knock it off man! You got morning breath.” Cara affectionately patted the big dog before seeing her partner in the armchair. They watched each other for a moment. Cara stood and folded the blanket up before looking about quizzically.

“You can leave it there Cara, I’ll get it. Come get some breakfast.” I pulled out a chair for her and set the two plates in front of the empty chairs.

“Oh okay. Thank you, Connor.” She made her way to the seat and her partner followed. She stopped just short of the table and suddenly stomped her heel down hard on her partner’s foot. He yelped and glared at her as she sat.

“My name is Clayton. Call me Clay.” He sat stiffly in his seat and waited.

“Good morning everyone, the food looks delicious Connor. Thank you. I’ll help with the dishes.” Cara cheerily spoke as she piled her plate up. I had to resist the urge to gape at them.

“No Cara, it’s alright.” I began dumping the other dishes into the sink to wash.

“Connor, let me help.” Something in her voice made me relent and I nodded as I set out the mugs.

“So, Clay is your partner?” Hank spoke as he poured himself some coffee.

“I’m her beta. She’s the alpha of the pack and we’re out here hunting as you know.” Clay finally served himself and began to eat. I noticed an interesting dynamic there. I ran a data search on wild wolf behavior. He had waited for the alpha to get her bit of food first, classic wolf behaviors.

“Clay don’t be an ass.” Cara had already finished one plate and was adding more food to her plate. Hank watched with what I could only classify as awe. Then again, I was slightly surprised by just how much she could eat. She had finished one large pizza to herself last night. And now she had already had more than the lieutenant. I set about letting Sumo out and putting the blankets away as they ate.

I came back to find Cara washing the dishes as Hank went to shower and get ready for the day. I stood next to Cara and helped her with washing, drying and putting away the dishes. She was quiet as we worked.

“So, Cara, I see your clothes are uh missing. Need me to get replacements?” Clay watched her from his seat at the table.

“Yeah Clay if you could please. And uh, can you pick up some booze?” She watched him as he stood without a word and walked out.

“I’m sorry, you’ll have to excuse him. He’s not happy about this whole situation. He just doesn’t want to be in this position where you guys are in more of an advantage than we are.” Cara dried her hands before plopping onto the couch. I followed her.

“Where are you guys staying?” I asked as I sat next to her, making sure I kept a good distance between us. She relaxed into her seat.

“We were supposed to get a hotel but honestly at this point it might not be a good idea. We don’t really want to be in a place where people could get caught in the crossfire. Clay and I will likely find a place to rest for small bit before continuing our hunt. We have some safe houses but there’s no guarantee that those haven’t been compromised.” She twiddled with her fingers and I realized she felt lost.

“How long were you planning on staying in Detroit?” I heard Hank step out of his bedroom and I turned slightly. I noticed her tilt her head slightly as well.

“As long as it took but we really hope to get this over with before the full moon at the end of the week. It’s not good to be loose in an unfamiliar turf. We wouldn’t even know where to run freely. And there’s no telling what kind of damage a rouge could inflict.”

“But you changed into a wolf last night, you need a full moon?” I watched her quizzically.

“We don’t need one to change but we have to turn on a full moon. The pull of the moon is too strong. It’s painful to resist. Clay and I are able to stay mostly in control during the full moon, but I don’t know how well the wolf would deal with being away from home during a full moon.” She watched me with troubled eyes.

“Do you think it would be bad?” Her eyes said it all. She didn’t know.

 

After Clay had come back, Hank and I waited for Cara to get ready before heading to Nines and Gavin’s place.

“I apologize for my behavior. I just don’t feel comfortable being here. And I don’t trust you.” Clay didn’t look up from petting Sumo as he spoke.

“Sounds like we don’t have a choice. We’re stuck in this together and whether we like it or not, we have killers to catch.” Hank spoke, and I felt the tension lower.

“I know the last thing you both wants is to call extra attention to yourself but, my scans haven’t revealed identities for either of you. It wouldn’t be hard to create fake identities. But you know, that don’t you?” Clay stilled at my words.

“You’re right Connor. We have been doing it for years. It’s just something you have to do when you don’t age the same as those around you.” Cara walked out in her new clothing. She now wore grey skinny jeans and a black sweater with a hooded vest over top. Her slouchy beanie seemed to be more for show that anything. Her boots were practical for Detroit weather.

“Cara.”

“Clay, shut up. It’s going to be easier to work with them than against them. Plus, we can all benefit from each other’s help. Connor and the DPD have better knowledge of the city and the right resources. We’ve got the muscle, senses and the knowledge they need.” She laid her hand on his shoulder and smiled at us.

“Glad we’re on the same page then. Let’s go. Be good Sumo.” Hank picked up his keys and walked out, leaving us to follow.


	2. Partners?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cara and Clay get to chatting with the gang. What must Fowler think of this mess?

CARA

 

The ride to Nines and Gavin’s apartment was quiet. Clay sat in the back with me. The Jack Daniels between us on the floor. Hank drove, and I watched the outside, wondering what this day held. I had also braced for Clay to take Nines in a bad light. Nines and I already didn’t get along in the greatest fashion. But we were going to be partners. We all knew it. We just had to say it out loud.

As we pulled up to the condo complex, I felt my face scrunch up in confusion. The building looked so modern and almost sterile. As we all got out, I heard Hank laugh.

“Yeah that’s what I thought when I heard Gavin moved in here.” We walked together in quiet. I kept a step behind Connor and Hank with Clay at my side. I looked about and saw a vastly different Detroit than what I had seen. It almost felt like certain areas back home. Soon we were knocking on the door and Gavin was opening the door.

 “Tin can, Anderson. Come in. Uh you two, cats aren’t a problem, right?” Gavin’s question made me laugh as I watched a cat saunter up behind him.

“I’m not gonna eat the cat. Neither will Clay. Relax Gavin. However, it’s not up to you if we come in or not. Cats tend to be very particular about what they allow in their domain.” I knelt in front of Gavin and the cat. I held out a curled finger as an offering. The black and white creature carefully stretched forward keeping well behind Gavin. A careful twitch of its nose seemed to give more confidence.

“Mason, be nice.” Nines’ voice carried from within the condo as the cat stepped forward. Mason let out a tentative meow before bumping against my hand. I smiled and carefully curled my hand around its head to rub behind its ear. I was rewarded with a purr and entrance to the condo. Clay and I stepped inside as both Gavin and the cat retreated into the condo. The condo was very clean and organized. I watched as a Roomba glided across the floor.

I laughed as Nines lifted his feet to allow the small machine to clean. He was reclined on a large sofa and looked like a lion in his den. Gavin took the offered liquor and set it on the coffee table. A blocky blonde-white dog lumbered in. I smiled at the stocky pit bull as he wandered over to Clay. The pitty lovingly lapped at his fingers and I knelt to pet the dog. I watched as Gavin returned with chilled glasses for all of us that drank. I took my shoes off and left them at the door as Connor had done. Clay followed suit.

“That’s our dog Makoto.” The pit bull had curled up against Nines with a quiet sigh.

Nines’ eyes followed Clay with a deeply piercing gaze. I growled low in my throat. Nines’ eyes snapped to me and his eyes narrowed. Challenge noted. You wanna get to mine, you have to go through me. He propped his feet up onto the table as Gavin settled next to him. Then it clicked. _Our_ dog. _OUR dog._ They _lived here_. _They_ lived here _._ Oh. I sat across from them on the other sofa with Clay. Hank and Connor sat opposite each other in separate armchairs.

“Well, I think we should get a baseline and discuss the plan from there.” Connor rubbed his hands together as he leaned forward. Clay picked up his glass and sat back. He would follow my lead. Good.

“With all due respect Connor, I think we should skip all the fluff and get to the plan.” I refilled Gavin’s glass and slid it closer to him. Makoto popped his head up and watched me lazily before prancing off the couch to come to my side. My hand my lazy circles on his head that was now on my knee. Nines watched my every move, eying his dog with traitorous eyes.

“I think Cara’s right. We need to stop beating around the bush. Fowler is going to want all of us to report even if it’s our day off.” Hank refilled his glass and I sighed. Makoto lazily lapped at my fingers and bumped my hand when I stopped petting him.

“We need to tell Fowler.” Nines sounded so absolute it made me want to bristle but he was right.

“Yes, we do. Just not everything. We can just make up some undercover crap for Clay and me. It’ll make it easier to have us around the station and to actually assist in the case.” Nines instantly geared up to argue.

“Nines, we don’t have a choice. We expose them for what they are, and we might have another civil war on our hands. I-I don’t want to be back at the center of one of those.” Connor cut in before an argument could ensue. I watched his LED spin yellow as Nines watched him. Nines’ own LED spun yellow, blinked red once before returning to normal.

“So, it’s settled. Special Agent Everwood and Special Agent Argent are in town to assist with cases that may now be of national attention.”

“I don’t like this. How do we know you won’t turn on us and end us, so we don’t spill?” Gavin looked genuinely worried. Mason was curled up in his lap as Gavin absently scratched the small creature’s head.

“Because she trusts you. So, I trust you. If we didn’t trust you, we wouldn’t be here. But make no mistake, I will always have my alpha’s back, and I will make sure she stays safe.” Clay cut in and I watched as Nines contemplated his words with something akin to admiration.

“So, with two agents, how are we going to explain away two big ass dogs at crime scenes?” Hank seemed to be the only one in the room that was actually thinking about the plan ahead.

“Well Hank I think it wouldn’t be too hard to integrate an excuse for that. Search dogs are still used in places that don’t have advanced androids. I’m sure Clay or Cara would be able to play a stubborn agent wanting to have their specially trained dogs in the field.” Connor was still rubbing his hands together as he spoke. Makoto seemed to suddenly realize Connor was here and excitedly lumbered over to him

“I’ll do it.” Clay smiled as he spoke, his eyes on the dog. We continued to discuss the plan as the morning continued. The final plan would be to have Nines and Connor quickly make a file in several databases to verify our identities and to program a meeting with Fowler, so we could gain access to the DPD. Nines and Gavin would head in first to keep with Nines’ personality. Then Clay and I would arrive. Connor would then drag in a reluctant Hank. We finalized the plan as Fowler contacted Nines and Connor. He wanted reports before the end of the day. It was mid-morning and we had to work fast to take advantage of the day.

 

It was a little before noon that we found ourselves standing outside the DPD station in our new, more professional gear. Clay and I braced to be set up. The truth was, we were still uneasy with this plan. This was not our turf and it had been a while since we were last in Detroit. We dressed the part but still felt the deep unease. The button-down shirts were not the most comfortable, but it was what we could use to pass as special agents. We walked in with our badges tucked into our coats. We approached the android secretary with purpose. I smiled at her as we approached.

“Hello, we have a meeting with Captain Jeffery Fowler. Special agents Everwood and Argent.” She smiled, and I watched her LED spin.

“Yes, he is expecting you. Go right on ahead.” We proceeded with a nod and thank you. We walked back to the glass office that housed Fowler’s office.

“Agents, come in.” Fowler ushered us in.

“Captain Fowler, I’m special agent Argent. This is my partner special agent Everwood.” I gestured to myself before I motioned to Clay. Fowler shook our hands and sat on the corner of his desk.

“This is of national attention now?” Fowler cut right to the chase. I was glad the less time we spent in this bullshit meeting the better.

“Unfortunately. There have been similar crimes across several state lines. This is now not only a Detroit matter but a national matter. Detroit is however under high national scrutiny as it is. We are hoping to work with your department to finish this quickly.” Clay kept his tone business.

“We have been made aware that you not only have one, but two RK models on the force. We need full access to their assistance.”

“They have partners they are currently working with. I will let them know about the changes while you investigate.” Fowler began to move away.

“No need for changes. We believe teams and partnerships are best left undisturbed when investigating. It allows for better and faster analysis of cases as established partnerships have dynamics that outlive any case. Given that explanation, I hope you’ll understand my insistence on keeping our dogs around during the investigation.” Clay interjected before Fowler could totally move away.

“Dogs? What do you need dogs for when you have RK models?” Fowler look at us like we were insane.

“Unlike RK models, our dogs have worked with us for years and are extensions of our team. They are also able to assist in things that the RK models may not be able to. You still have a small K9 unit here , don’t you? Old time ways die hard. I’m sure you understand.” I added a smile to disarm Fowler. Yes, I played the small female card on the man. Sue me.

“You’re in luck. I called both teams in today to discuss the cases. You can meet with them and yes, the force will be made aware of the dogs.” Fowler retreated behind his desk and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“These officers are here now?” I asked pleasantly. Fowler pointed out to the floor where the other desks were.

“Detective Reed and RK900 are out there. Look for the large android in the white coat. Anderson and Connor have not arrived ye- “Fowler was cut off by Hank barging into the office with a flustered Connor a few paces behind.

“Whaddaya want Fowler, it’s my day off.” Hank snarled at Fowler, who instantly bristled.

“Lieutenant these are the special agents that you will be assisting with the recent murder cases. Alongside Reed and RK900. You too Connor.” Fowler’s tone left no room for argument. But that didn’t stop Hank.

“What do you mean assisting? These are our cases.” Hank’s arms folded over his chest and his eyes shifted to Clay and me.

“I mean this is now their investigation and you are assisting.” Fowler glared at Hank.

“It would be our pleasure captain.” Connor interjected quickly, “Hello, my name is Connor.” He held out his hand to me.

“Special Agent Cara Argent.” I shook his hand before he took Clay’s.

“Special Agent Clayton Everwood. Shall we, gentlemen?” Clay gestured for the door and Hank huffed an irritated breath before walking out. Connor smiled at us and we walked out ahead of him. We made quick introductions before deciding to head out to the parking lot to ‘discuss the case’.


	3. Hounds and Androids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a turn and Cara is faced with more than she bargained for. Hard life has made Clay and Cara prepared for what may lie ahead but what about everyone else? 
> 
> One on one time with Cara gives Nines a new appreciation for Cara.
> 
> "As a siren suddenly blared to life, Clay and I turned to see Hank and Connor’s vehicle turn off and away, lights flashing and noise blaring loudly. Nines and Gavin not far behind. I nodded to Clay who revved the motorcycle to life and shot after them. "

 

“Are you wearing glasses and makeup?” Gavin asked as he lit up a cigarette.

“Listen it helps disarm men and makes them think I’m just some chick that got lucky when she landed a special agent gig.” I grabbed the cigarette from Gavin and he gawked. Nines chuckled.

“Well it’s fucking stupid.” Gavin lit up another cigarette with annoyance.

“It’s so stupid it works.” I grinned evilly.

“You know smoking kills detective.” Clay took Gavin’s cigarette and this time Nines laughed. Gavin stood truly flabbergasted.

“Gavin, they’re right. You shouldn’t smoke.” Nines squeezed his hand as he spoke. Gavin mumbled something and turned away annoyed.

“So, boys I think it’s time we head to a better place to discuss and regroup.” I flicked the spent cigarette onto the ground before grinding it with my heel.

“What do you mean?” Nines watched me with intense eyes.

“I mean Clay and I visited a safe house here in town. And I would like us to group up there. We need to get back on the trail of these killers.”

“Well that explains a lot.” Hank was leaning against his car.

“Yes, the clothes and other accessories. Anyways, shall we get going? I have more news and I’d rather not share here.”

Connor had apparently written up the report and sent it off. Nines had done the same, so we were ready to leave. Nines and Gavin got into their car, Hank and Connor into theirs, and Clay and I got onto our motorcycle. Clay carefully wove his way through the streets of Detroit with the boys trailing behind us. I enjoyed letting myself lean back on the motorcycle. I would've enjoyed letting my hair flow too but Clay had a thing about always wearing helmets. 

As a siren suddenly blared to life, Clay and I turned to see Hank and Connor’s vehicle turn off and away, lights flashing and noise blaring loudly. Nines and Gavin not far behind. I nodded to Clay who revved the motorcycle to life and shot after them. We took a turn into a back alley. I leapt off and quickly stripped. Tossing my clothes to Clay he tucked them into the storage of the cycle. I shifted quickly and spared only a moment to have Clay assist me into the “K9 UNIT” harness we used as disguise. Having the last buckle secured, I took off at a sprint.

It wasn’t hard to follow the sirens. I was surprised to see only Gavin and Nines at the destroyed door of a residential. Other officers were on site already and several spooked at the sight of me. Connor intervened before anyone could shoot and I quickly slipped passed them. I could hear Clay speaking with Connor, but my sights were set on entering the building. My nose twitched as I moved inside.  The acrid scent of fear billowed throughout the home.

Nines frowned at me as he worked to clear the house with Gavin. Suddenly a figure darted out and shot out the back door. I was already lunging forward as Nines turned to shoot. Gavin shouted for backup as I disappeared out the back door. The figure bounded over the fence and I leapt after it. I cleared the obstacle with ease even as I heard Nines exit the house.

It was the overpowering scent of blood that made me stumble. I faltered for a moment but so did the figure. I snarled and pounced. Powerful jaws snapped shut on a forearm and as oily metallic poured into my mouth, I realized I had an android in my grasp. I heard a low, quiet whimper and my jaws loosened. Tearing its arm from my grasp, the android brought its fist down on my skull. I fell back as it tore away. Nines only a pace behind.

As I stood, I didn’t make a move to give chase, instead I raised my head to scent. I followed the metallic tang of blood to find a young man. He was hidden amongst the bushes, blood pouring from multiple wounds. As I came into view, his eyes went wild. He attempted to move away but only managed to slip in the blood of pool beneath him. His eyes fell on my harness and liquid pain filled his eyes.

“H-h-help. I-I don’t want t-t-to die…” His broken whisper fell on my ears and I did the only thing I could. I let out a single bark, alerting Clay. He flinched at the sound and a tremor wracked his body. I knew what I had to do. I approached him tentatively. He made no further moves of fear and as I settled next to him, his fingers found their way into my fur. Despite his deep terror, my energy still gave him comfort. It was the presence of an alpha. Someone to protect him and make the bad go away. I lay there, in a pool of blood, a dying man clinging to me. I lay my head on my paws as he drew his last shuddering breath.

I heard multiple voices approaching and remained perfectly still. I kept myself still despite my desire to move away from the evidence of my failure. I let my ears perk forward as I heard footsteps approaching.

“What the hell is it doing?” I didn’t move as an unknown officer raised his weapon to take aim at me. I watched him as Clay placed a hand on his arm, gently lowering his weapon.

“Our canines are trained to work a variety of circumstances. They’ve been trained as service and support animals as well as therapy animals. What kid doesn’t love the puppy? Who doesn’t get at least a bit of comfort from a canine? In cases of violence, our canine units are trained to act as protectors and to remain with any injured individuals. She’s just following her training.” Nines had rejoined us, and I raised my head. The hell had he done with the android?

I turned my head with reluctance to look at the dead man. He was far too young to have fallen victim to this attack. His face was peaceful. His slack jaw and closed eyes gave him the look of a sleeping college student. My ear flicked back at the sound of someone crouching next to me. It was in that moment I realized I was whimpering almost silently. As I turned to see who it was next to me, I felt a hand grasp my harness. I locked eyes with Nines. There was an odd light behind them, something I might have called confusion.

He gently tugged at the harness and began to stand. I followed suit, his hand never leaving the harness. I cast one last look at the man, immediately regretting it. I could see the immense blood that had pooled, the vile paleness that gripped the corpse, the indent in sodden grass where my own form had lain. I became acutely aware of the blood that clung like a phantom to my fur. I shuddered as Nines’ hand fell away from the leather embracing me.

“Shadow, heel.” Clay was quiet in his request. I hated the stupid cover name we used but, in this moment, it grounded me. I came to stand beside Clay and sat. The badge that hung at my chest glistened with a vile crimson sheen. I heard Clay call for a rag and the intruding officer moved away. Nines moved to stand in front of us then.

“Cyberlife won’t be able to recover information off that android. Don’t make me regret that decision.” He moved away and toward the body. As Clay dropped next to me, I became aware of Hank. I gazed up at him even as Clay wiped down my forelegs and chest. He took care to wipe my paws clean. Hank turned his gaze to Nines. I turned to look, and guilt gripped me. If we had gotten here days earlier…If we had gotten here weeks earlier…

Shaking myself I moved away from the area. Officers now buzzed about the scene. Gavin and Connor combed through the house as I approached. Officers gave me a wide berth as I neared the home. I lowered my head and set about searching for a scent. My mind deciphered the thousands of scents that assaulted me. I singled out what I was looking for and began to trail away from the others. Coming to the fence, I looked up to see a jagged hole. I carefully stretched my neck forward, I saw a tuft of fur clinging to the fence. Gotcha. I let out a quiet bark, one I knew only a couple of people would hear.

 _What do ya got?_ Clay’s voice filtered into my mind and I braced myself.

 _Definitely one of our targets. I’m going after it._ I leapt up and over the fence as I replied. I moved slow. Each step measured and precise. The growl was the only warning I got before a ball of grey flew at me. I tumbled back, the force of the impact knocking me to the ground. As the wolf rushed passed and back through the hole, I launched myself back over the fence, landing hard.

It saw the officers milling about and scrabbled to turn away. It bolted down the side path and I flew after it. As the street loomed ahead, I hoped the DPD had set up some kind of barricade. The wolf was smart at least, which of course was not good for me. As it burst into the street, it bolted right. Out of the line of sight of the officers but out of the residential area. I heard a shout as I sailed around the corner.

I didn’t bother to look or slow as I sprinted. The rough pavement didn’t do my paws any favors as I raced after the wolf. Its larger build wasn’t doing its speed any favors. As we crossed an intersection, we both evaded traffic even as brakes screeched and horns blared. The wolf ahead of me seemed to be growing desperate as I closed the gap between us. Right as I was about to pounce, the wolf was thrown sideways.

Paws scrambling for purchase, I came to a stop. The SUV that had struck the wolf whipped around and I was frozen in shock. The doors burst open and the wolf pulled within. I began to step forward right as the car lurched forward. I saw the glint only a split second before it was too late. I side stepped rapidly, narrowly missing whatever had been shot my way. As I tried to step forward, I realized I hadn’t been fast enough.

The world tilted and spun, focusing and unfocusing as the vehicle disappeared from sight.  I stumbled into a sit as I struggled to keep myself from collapsing. I felt sick. I heard footsteps suddenly come to a stop behind me. I turned my head with little grace and staggered with drunken stupor. Connor’s form swayed and danced in my eyes. Dipping and wavering his image became a spectacle for my drugged mind. His brow furrowed and he stepped forward.

My head suddenly swayed downward. With wavering sight, I looked for the dart or whatever had been used to deposit this drug in my being. As Connor’s hands gripped my harness, I felt myself sway. His grip kept me upright even as I struggled to keep upright. Rapidly, I began to return to my senses. My metabolism was burning a inferno inside me. Connor’s worried eyes searched over my form. AS I righted myself, his hands loosened on the harness.

I stood on unsteady legs and faced the city. Its sprawling lights and buildings lay like a million possibilities in front of me. I tossed my head back and let out a mournful howl. It was brief but the emotion coated Detroit. I would find the culprits. I turned back to Connor and I saw his LED spinning yellow, eyes full of sadness. I trotted past him and began the trek back to the others.

 

Once we returned to the others, Clay excused himself from the group before coming to stand before me. He knelt slowly as he smoothed a hand down my neck. The warmth of his hand settled on my flank and I let out the deep breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The warmth felt like the anchor I needed. His presence a chronic reminder that I had someone to lean on. We shared the burden of the deaths, his curling fingers said. As he stood, I fell into step just ahead of him. Officers eyed me wearily but made no aggressive move toward me. Hank was chatting with another officer as we strolled up. Hank eyed me first before turning his attention to Clay. As they chatted, the other officer kept eying me. I tilted my head curiously and allowed an ear to flop down.

“Hey uh, Agent,”

“Clay, call me Clay.” Clay’s broad smile was always the best disarming tool. His charisma and aura just broke down all walls he set himself to breaking.

“Clay, can I uh pet her?” His eyes kept darting between us. I let my tongue loll out and wagged my tail happily.

“Go ahead man.” Clay stepped aside, hand extended in invitation. Chris moved towards me and I stood. He froze, causing Hank to belt out a laugh.

“Come on Chris, you’ve pet Sumo before. They’re about the same size.” Hank reached out and rubbed my head. I may not be a dog, but man did I love getting pet. I mean it’s like getting your hair played with but better.

“Sumo doesn’t look like he’d eat me for lunch though.” Chris’ hand gently laid on my head, tentative fingers scratched at my ears and my tail wagged happily. Cautiously, I lapped at his hand and he let out a small chuckle. Who doesn’t love dogs? Course, I wasn’t a dog but hey I’ll take it.

“See? Shadow doesn’t bite unless you’re a criminal.” Clay stood off to the side, gazing off towards the house. Nines’ emerged and zeroed in on us. He made his way over, Gavin pausing outside the house to chat with Connor.

“Officer Miler, enjoying distracting the K9 unit from her duties?” Nines’ voice had the slightest lift to it. Chris laughed and really gave my head a good scratch before taking his hand away.

“Nines’ I am rewarding her for helping in the investigation. It’s not distracting.” Hank chuckled as Chris patted Nines’ shoulder.

“Well, reward will be a good meal for her and some water. I should also go regroup with my partner. Unfortunately, I don’t really want to put her on the back of the cycle.” Clay let it trail off, leaving the opening for Hank or Nines.

“Well Connor and I are pretty much done here, we can give her a lift.” Hank uncrossed his arms as Connor and Gavin joined us.

“Me and Nines are done here too. Why don’t we all go regroup and debrief?” Gavin kept a professional distance from Nines, but I noticed Officer Miller’s eyes twinkle with mischief.

“Guess there won’t be any lunch plans huh Reed?”

“Phck off Chris.” Gavin chuckled and playfully smacked Chris in the chest.

“Hey, I didn’t ruin the good time Reed.” Officer Miller held his hands up in mock defense as he walked away.

“Shall we?” Clay tilted his head toward the cars as he spoke. After murmurs of agreement, we made our way over to the cars.

 

It wasn’t long before we were at a large two-story home in a quiet neighborhood. On the way, we had stopped a little way away so that I could change back ad get dressed. Now human, I led the others up to the house.

As we all walked up, I listened. Not a sound.

I unlocked the door and let us all in. We ended up in the large living room. Clay and I shrugged off our coats and shirts. I remained in my tank top and Clay in a t-shirt. As we all sat, I didn’t know how to explain the new developments.

“The local leaders, are uh missing.” I bowed my head.

“Missing? So, the people that should be watching this area are what, MIA?” Gavin managed to school his attitude for which I was grateful.

“We’ve tried contacting them. In every way. Not a peep. Actually, almost none of the locals we knew of are around. Only one, and he’s not exactly social.” Clay ran his fingers through his short black hair in frustration.

“This, this doesn’t just happen. We don’t just abandon territories like this. And the radio silence is even more disturbing.” I couldn’t meet their eyes. I was failing already.

“When is the last time you heard from them?” Nines was leaning forward now. Full investigation mode.

“Before we flew out here. Maybe a week ago.”

“No kidnappings have been reported, a few missing persons reports fall outside of the victims that have been accounted for. Any women that you are looking for?” Connor blinked as his LED spun.

“No, all male in this area.” I shook my head as I spoke.

“No male missing persons reports.” Connor shook his head as his LED faded back to blue.

“That’s pretty normal. We live off your radar.” I shifted and rubbed my hands together. Uneasiness crept over me.

“So, we have no leads and how many potential vics?” Hank had summed it up, hadn’t he?

“Six. One leader and his beta. The other four aren’t exactly part of the pack, just residents of the city. A whole pack gone missing.” I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed. I could already feel the knots forming there. The growing tension headache was starting to intensify.

“That’s one hell of a feat. I mean, you managed to hold Connor out of a window without breaking a sweat. And that was after you were shot twice.” Hank leaned back and rubbed his head.

“There are ways. I mean, with the correct knowledge.” Clay stopped. He didn’t trust them with the knowledge.

“Tranquilizers?” Nine was on the right track at least.

“Our metabolisms work too fast. We process drugs faster than humans. Larger doses would be needed to sedate us. A lethal human dose would be necessary to truly sedate one of us enough to restrain and transport. And I mean, real surgical grade stuff. Not your average medications.” I didn’t look at Clay, didn’t need to. I could feel his burning gaze.

“Are there other ways?” Connor inquired as he leaned in.

“The other ways are not something we need to discuss right now.” Clay leaned back in his seat.

“I would argue that we do need to know, especially considering any information is valuable when determining the best approach.” Nines kept his countenance neutral as he levelled a blank stare in my direction.

“You don’t need to know all the specifics right now. We can revisit that once we have a better trust built.” I had an underlying growl in my voice as I spoke. I’m sure there were ice chips breaking through the brown of my irises.

“Perhaps, you can share small details you feel comfortable sharing?” Connor’s friendly tone pulled my attention away from Nines and I answered as calmly as I could.

“Shoot us? I mean even getting hit by a car might do it.” Undertones of a growl carried as I spoke.

“One accident was reported late last week with an unidentified victim and driver. No mention of this to any emergency departments, however. Eyewitness statements reported a hit and run. Victim appeared to be an android according to all accounts but no Cyberlife repairs match a hit and run.” Nines LED spun wildly.

“Where?” I nearly leapt out of my seat.

“About five blocks away from here. Shall we?” Nines cocked his head, looking far more boy-like and innocent than he had any right to.

“I don’t think all of us would be necessary. I can stay behind with Gavin and Hank. We can further investigate leads.” Connor had not meant to upset anyone, but Clay took great offense. As usual.  

“We’re not leaving you lot here.” His eyes sparked to life with molten gold as he glowered at Connor.

“Clay, stop. He didn’t mean any harm. He’s right we don’t all need to go romping out to investigate one small report. Plus, I’m sure Nines will have my back. Stay here. Play nice.” I pulled on my coat and Nines reluctantly walked out with me.

 

NINES

We walked briskly to the site of the accident. The streets were not the kind of neighborhood one wanted to walk alone, and the biting cold didn’t help matters. Cara had zipped up her coat before we got far to avoid suspicion. She even pretended to huddle into her coat for warmth. She walked quickly. Determined. I admired her resolve, but I didn’t know just how far this trust could go. We were all uneasily working together, and I wasn’t convinced we would continue to do so without incident. I was pulled out of my thoughts as we rounded the corner. We slowed our pace and I saw her almost seem to perk up as we walked.

“Here we are.” I stood, hands in my pockets, and scanned the area. There were traces of blood on the road. Had I not been looking for a sign that she was investigating, I might have missed the way her nose twitched slightly. She must have caught a whiff of what my scans had picked up.

“Why weren’t EMTs or Cyberlife techs called?” I trailed behind her, assessing her ability to follow the days old trail of blood. She never faltered as we walked.  

“The eyewitness accounts thought it was an android so obviously no EMTS were called. Cyberlife doesn’t have EMTs for androids. Yet. No apparent injuries or blood in the witness account.” It bothered me how easily humans still dismissed androids. EMTs for androids were obviously necessary but we were still fighting bigger battles. The revolution had made huge changes, but we were still battling against the bias that was alive and well in the populace. I thought of Markus as we rounded the corner into an alley my sensors detected signs of a struggle.

“An easy pick up location.” Cara moved forward and sniffed the area. My scans revealed an object of interest near her foot. I was about to speak when she knelt and investigated it without indication. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed by her senses.

“You’re gonna want to pick this up Nines. I don’t want to get my fingerprints all over it.” It was a dart. Quick analysis revealed a modified strain of secobarbital. I touched the tip of the dart to my tongue for further analysis. Secobarbital, morphine, trace elements of red ice and cyclobenzaprine.

“Secobarbital. Powerful stuff.” I noted the almost imperceptive way her face scrunched up in disgust. Was it my analysis or the drug that elicited that response? Cara moved down the alley and pushed aside some trash before I could ask.

“They don’t exactly care how alive their vics are.” She was looking down at a large blood stain. Slowly, she dropped to her knees and sniffed, I noted the small tremor in her hands as she braced them against the pavement. The rusted crimson before her almost seemed to reach out to her, beckoning. I scanned hoping to reveal something else that would help us. Nothing of use, the tire tracks were useless. The blood was unrecognizable as human blood. My frustration mounted.

“I’m sorry.”

“Be sorry for the bastards that did this.” She looked up at me and I could see blue and gold flecks bursting through the brown of her eyes. Alerts began to pop up: increased adrenaline detected.

“Cara, we will find them.” I kept my voice quiet and even. I kept my hands up and in her clear view. Preconstructions began to run despite the lack of clear threat. I didn’t know how dangerous she was, but I prepared for a fight.

“Maxus was a good man.”

“Was?” My hands lowered as she rose. Her eyes darted back down to the vile stain before returning to my gaze. Swirling chocolate and woody hues greeted my icy stare.

“He would never let anything happen to Adam. There’re two different sets of blood. And the larger pool was Maxus. He would die to protect Adam. I don’t have much hope the beta survived.” She walked past me without another word. I turned and followed. She walked briskly back out to the street and scanned her surroundings, head never moving. Pocketing the dart, I began a slow scan of the area. Moving across the road, she suddenly broke into a jog. Just a few paces behind her, I was fascinated as she stopped and sniffed at the end of an alley.

A low growl greeted us. Crouched with its tail beneath itself, was a small gray wolf. Its lithe form defensive and nowhere near the size of Cara as a wolf. Its ears were flattened against its skull, waves of tension coming off of its body. I noted streaks of crimson that were clearly days old. Had it been left here all this time?

“Hey, it’s okay. We’re here to help. Relax. You’re okay.” Cara kept her pose ready for a fight but neutral enough to attempt to comfort the small gray wolf. Again, the animal growled. As its eyes locked on me, it snarled. The golden orbs were wild with fear as I braced myself. Preconstructions began to run as Cara tiptoed forward. More snarls welcomed Cara’s move forward. A millisecond to brace myself was all I could afford as the wolf sprung.

Cara wrapped her arms around its neck as it lunged at me. Snapping and snarling wildly, thrashing and writhing, the wolf tried to escape her firm hold. I stepped forward to assist, but Cara shook her head, lips pressed into a tight line. My brow furrowed even as the struggles got weaker. As it stopped struggling, I wondered. What was the goal here, render it unconscious or stop its heart? Her hold released as the body went limp.

“You wanna carry her back? It’ll be easier if you do. Less odd looks.” She let the wolf drop like a stone. The dull thud of its head against the pavement spoke volumes of Cara’s attitude. She had been so willing to protect it-her, a moment ago. What changed? I bent, lifted the body into my arms and felt her weight settle in my arms.

“Was that really the best approach?” I quirked a brow up at her. The dead weight in my arms shifted as I faced Cara, disproval coloring my features.

“It was either that or snap its neck. I want answers.” I stared after her as she walked away. Left with little choice but to follow, I began to walk. I gazed up as I exited the alley. Clouds had been gathering all day and it seemed like it was going to rain. This rain would soon turn to snow. I had little hope any viable evidence would survive that.

 As we walked, I kept a firm grip on the wolf in my arms and maintained scans for signs of it stirring. The rain started to pour as we made our way back. I stayed beside Cara, trying to form the proper words. I cursed Connor silently, why did he have to be better with emotions? I cursed my slow awakening to deviancy then.

“I’m sorry.” She glanced up at me then, confused. “The loss of a friend is never good. It seems that perhaps you’ve lost more than I would have initially thought.” I knew my LED was spinning yellow as I grappled with the apology.

“It’s okay Nines. People die.” Her voice was quiet, but it carried more weight than I thought possible. She seemed so much smaller yet so much bigger then. The weight and volume of her life seemed suspended there suddenly. Silence blanketed the space between us the rest of the way back.

 

Drenched from the fresh rains, we stepped inside. I stood unsure of what to do, the mat just inside was already beginning to soak beneath my feet. Cara reached for the wolf in my arms as the others came around. Clay tossed a towel that I gratefully caught. His brief nod fell in my direction before he moved away.

I watched his hand descend on the plain knob of the door just down the hall. It was one of those doors that you didn’t consciously note when in a home. Arms full of unconscious wolf, Cara passed Clay before descending the stairs. I heard the distinct groan of metal on concrete before the click of a lock. Her lips were once again pressed into a firm line as she reappeared. Her eyes were hard, speaking of an age her face did not reflect.

“The basement is a containment area. Soundproof. Helps keep the neighbors from knowing there’s a wolf next door. Usually we use it for newer wolves.” Cara looked to Clay and I saw his expression fall. He let out a curse and closed his eyes. I noted the defeat that suddenly washed over his form.

“So, you guys can do that thing androids do to communicate?” Hank spoke from the kitchen. He had practically summoned us all as we made our way to him. Coffee steamed from several mugs. Cara wasted no time, gripping hers close.

“Telepathic communication through the pack bonds, it’s helpful.” She sipped her coffee as I removed my jacket. I sat on one of the stools while Gavin took the other next to me. I felt a deep wash of familiarity and comfort come over me. I placed a hand on his knee and drew from it a grounding force I couldn’t live without.

“And you can do that all the time?” My older brother was leaning comfortably against the counter. The picture of seamless integration.

Her sly smile was wicked as she answered, “I fucking wish. It’s easier across longer distances as wolves but even then, it isn’t perfect. As a human, we have a far more limited range.”

“I think we need to discuss the findings.” I spoke quietly.

“Yeah, we should. Thanks Nines.” She didn’t look at me, just sipped her coffee. Her sly manner of commanding a room was always surprising to me.

“There were obvious signs of a struggle not far from the scene of the accident. We followed the trail of blood to the alley where the struggle ensued. Cara was able to pick up on two separate blood samples. Which is interesting considering the reports only included one victim. Perhaps the struggle is where the two individuals were attacked, but only one was struck by the car. She believes the blood samples to belong to the alpha and beta of the area. She also found this.” I pulled the dart from my pocket and laid it on the counter.

“Sufentanil?” Clay’s revulsion colored his face. His mug was long since empty but he picked it up, almost as if to take a drink before setting it back down.

“Stronger, it’s a Secobarbital compound that’s been modified. This would be lethal to any human.” Connor examined the dart closely.

“Surgical grade stuff. Someone clearly knows how to bring one of you down.” Gavin’s mind was working through the clues, I could see it in his eyes.

“I’m sure that you probably found some muscle relaxants in that compound.” Cara looked at Connor and I with a stare that said she knew it was in there, just not what it was exactly. Connor raised the dart to his mouth and licked it.

“Connor that is disgusting.” Hank turned away as he spoke.

“Secobarbital, morphine, trace elements of red ice and cyclobenzaprine.”

“Sonofabitch.” Clay slammed his mug down on the counter. I hadn’t seen him pick it back up but it’s empty sound reverberated.

“That’s what I was worried about. This isn’t about just catching and transporting a wolf. It’s about sedating one and keeping it compliant. Morphine is something wolves burn through faster than anything, but it provides real pain relief. That coupled with the muscle relaxants, you’re making a great cocktail for addiction. And all that’s before you factor in the red ice.” Cara began rubbing at her neck. A sign of stress, I noticed. She had been doing it, likely subconsciously, since I had met her.

“So, someone is drugging you lot up and making you addicts? For what?” Hank scratched at his beard lazily as he watched Gavin. The lieutenant was fond of my detective, but I could see the desire to smack Gavin in his eyes.

“What better way to get a wolf to listen to your every command?” Cara looked at Gavin as if she knew something about that subject.

“Pain, torture then you hold the key to relief.” Connor sounded disturbed.

“So, what are we going to do about the wolf in the basement?” I had a feeling I knew what we were going to do, but I still looked expectantly at Cara and Clay.

“She’s-it’s too far gone. We need to see what information we can extract but it won’t last long.” Cara’s voice was quiet.

“While withdrawal can be lethal- “Cara held a hand up to silence me.

“This isn’t about withdrawal. That wolf down there? It’s practically consumed the human inside. We can’t let it run loose. She’d be a menace and there’s no telling what kind of damage could be done.” She wasn’t pleased with this development. Her detachment to humanity did not escape me. Nor did it escape Gavin, who grew tense beneath my hand.

“So that’s it then? We just get what we need and off her?” Connor’s LED further betrayed his anger, crimson colored the ring.

“Connor, it’s not that simple. It wouldn’t be able to live in Detroit. There’s no telling if it can even hold human form convincingly.”

“She. Not it. She is alive, and she deserves a chance.” His LED was spinning wildly and blazing crimson.

“She is already dead. Let me enlighten you boys. Wolves are beasts. Werewolves? We’ve got the brains and morality of humans on our side, but we have an animal within us. The difference between wolves and werewolves? A wolf only kills for defense or food. Humans hunt for fun. Remember, werewolves are part human. We’re truly the apex predator out there. Cunning, strong, fast and deadly. Seamless integration into normal society. A wolf is strong by itself but it’s better in a pack. A pack is a force of nature. A lone wolf? Still dangerous.” Connor’s LED dulled back to yellow as she spoke and opened his mouth to argue but Clay cut him off.

“Connor, listen to her.” Clay’s voice was not harsh, it wasn’t challenging. It was level and calm. A plea of sorts.

“Clay and me? We’ve been around for a minute or two. We’ve seen what happens when you loose a werewolf that lacks humanity out on the world. Nothing is safe. It becomes something that craves blood and violence. It needs a handler at best. The human is what keeps control. When the human loses control it’s game over.” Her eyes had steadily begun to bleed gold and blue into the iris as she spoke. “I don’t want to put her down. But it’s what I have to do to protect her, us and the world. And trust me the wolf may do the hunting but I’m always the one to make the kill.”

Her eyes had bled fully into those of the wolf before her final sentence. She stalked away and none of us made a move to follow. I looked to Connor and saw his LED flashing red before returning to yellow. Clay looked to me and Connor before placing his mug in the sink. His shoulders were slumped slightly forward. The white knuckles betrayed the conflict he felt.

“It’s not easy to be an alpha. But she’s one hell of an alpha. Life is full of tough choices, Connor. For us it’s even worse. For an alpha? There’s more weight on their shoulders than you can imagine. But Connor? I’ll be there to see if there’s a chance at saving her. I swear it.” Clay’s words made his LED blink yellow before returning to its blue.

“Thank you.”


	4. Need to Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a little wolf caught, emotions begin to turn up. Times running out but emotions are tricky. Cara has a bit of a heart to heart with Connor.
> 
> "Then she snapped. The intelligent light dying in her eyes as the beast consumed her again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to release the rest of this as a chapter a week. Unless it's a shorter chapter, then there might be multiple. Hope y'all enjoy it. Feedback is always welcome.

 

CARA

I walked outside to the backyard. I needed a minute. Sighing heavily, I propped myself against the side of the house and allowed the downpour to soothe me. I pushed away from the house and stepped into the rain. Turning my face up I closed my eyes and allowed my tensions to melt. Could I save that girl? Would it be the right thing to do? There was no telling the trauma she had suffered through. But I was okay. Mostly.

Connor would of course want to save that girl. How couldn’t he? I allowed myself to kneel in the grass and wondered if Maxus had survived the attack. Connor reminded me far too much of him. Maxus was such a light in this world. He had never allowed the rough life to dull his light. But he would defend his own with all the ferocity of a pack. I sat out there for a moment, letting the rain bring a thousand scents to me. I let the rain soak into me. Cleanse me. Ground me.

I heard the door open and heard the quiet footsteps approach me. The hand on my shoulder squeezed gently.

_It’s okay Cara. They understand what they need to understand._

_Clay, this isn’t that easy anymore. I never meant for things to get this far._

He helped me stand and we turned back to head inside. I drew comfort from his presence. Clay, ever my constant. His eyes were far greyer in the rain. The glint of lightning reflected in those pools. I lost myself in them for a moment. Moving away from him, I took hold of the hem of my shirt. I tossed my soaked outer layers in the washing machine before squeezing the excess water out of my hair. I took the dry clothes Clay offered.

The darker fabric of the clothing contrasted nicely with his golden skin. Even in the depths of winter, Clay had a tan. I admired the smoothness of his flesh as our hands brushed. I offered a smile as I tugged on the offered items. The looser crop top felt liberating after the day’s events. Even in the smallest of details, Clay planted care. I walked out to the living room where everyone was still gathered. Connor was seated on the floor with Nines while Hank and Gavin bickered about our alcohol choices.

“I’m going to head down there.” I paused, unsure of how to proceed. “Connor? Nines? Either one of you like to join me?” I stood by the basement door. I watched Connor’s LED spin before he stood. I waited for him before opening the door. The dim warm light bathed us. It offered a warmer, more comforting air to the otherwise cold room. The last vestiges of the upstairs light disappeared as Clay closed the door. Snarls and growls greeted us. Already a bad sign.

I walked a few paces more, allowing the cage to come into view. The thick bars stood tall and unyielding. The massive custom lock seemed to taunt the animal within. I felt Clay’s presence at my back. The increased volume of snarls confirmed his presence as I assessed the being in the cage. The wolf was standing with her weight off one foot. A raised hand signaled them to stop.

“Hey. Relax.” I kept my voice flat and neutral. The wolf snarled low. She kept low and her eyes darted around to all of us. The violent reverberations of the increasing growls shook her frame. Eyes wild and ears pinned, she spoke volumes to me. I needed to minimize her stress.

 _Clay, go back upstairs with Connor._ Shuffling behind me indicated a retreat. My hopes of a more docile wolf were dashed the second those growls began to crescendo.

With a deep breath I laid my hand against the bars of the cage. She skittered further back and bared her fangs. Quivering jaws and unhindered growls greeted me. No matter how much I tried to reach her, all I received was silence. She wasn’t thinking above the level of an animal. I gripped the door of the cage and slid my hand down to the lock. Palming it, I grew a claw and slid it into the mechanism. The lock unclicked, and the wolf surged forward. Falling back onto my ass, I scrambled to grab the wolf. She wasn’t nearly as fast as I was, and the bad leg didn’t help, but she was small and lithe. She made it halfway up the stairs before I managed to wrap my arms around her. We tumbled back and off the side of the stairs with a thud.

She snapped wildly every which way. I could see the bloodshot sclera of her eyes. Desperation coated her struggles in a thick pungent odor. Clay burst downstairs as I struggled to contain the wolf. Dragging her back to the cage, I kept an eye on Clay, who stood back, ready to catch her should she escape my grasp. As we tumbled back into the cage, Clay slammed the door shut. I released the wolf and she flew away from me. She had gotten her fangs into my face. I could feel the blood dripping onto the concrete. Her fangs had hooked under my jaw and barely missed my eye. She watched me and paced. Blood flowed freely into my eye as I crouched before her. I tried again to reach her, hoping that I would get something, anything.

_You’re safe here. I’m here to keep you safe._

A low whine broke the silence. She trembled there, eyes wide and ears flat against her skull. Fear. She reeked of fear. I felt like I would choke on it. I did my best to convey some form of protective aura.

She whined again. A pitiful sound. _Help._

My breath hitched, extending a hand, I was hopeful she’d reach out. Then she snapped. The intelligent light dying in her eyes as the beast consumed her again.

I scrambled out of the cage, but not before she caught a hold of my wrist between her jaws. I felt the slam of her jaws as I dashed out. Clay closed the door as I pried her steel jaws open enough to pull my wrist out.

“Fuck.” Clamping a hand over the flowing punctures, I raised my arm. I needed the bleeding to slow. Clay took stock of my face and lifted my crop top slightly. I had missed the several deep gouges in my abdomen. Crimson flowed freely from the gouges as I realized the stinging pain that emanated from them.

“She really got you, didn’t she?” Clay took my wrist in his hands and raised it to his lips. He lapped at my wrist. The dull burn from his saliva radiated throughout the tissues. His eyes dilated, and I growled quietly. A deep warm enveloped the wound as he gently released me. The bleeding had slowed, and the wound was now only oozing blood.

“She got you too.” His shirt was torn, and blood seeped from several claw marks. He took his shirt off and dabbed at the blood on my face. I gently stopped him, our eyes caught in the moment and it was all too easy to forget the world around us. As I returned to the world, I beckoned him to follow me upstairs. He complied with tight lips. The blue had revived in his eyes and it told a story of reluctance. He wiped the back of his hand across his lips before disappearing upstairs. My eyes fell to the streaked crimson on that golden skin.

The way his muscles rolled beneath his sun kissed skin had me wishing we were back home. He stood at the base of the stairs, expectant. The scratches on his abdomen were already sealing up, nothing but pink lines on flesh stretched over carved muscles. I came to stand beside him. I ushered him up first and he dipped his head before ascending.

 _You’re safe here. Even if you don’t feel that way right now. I’m Cara._ I turned to go back upstairs and slowly ascended.

_Cassie…_

I smiled, tears springing to my eyes as I walked through up.

 

I walked into the living room and walked right over to Connor. Hugging him tightly, I felt his body tense.

“Thank you, Connor.” Stepping away from him, I felt happiness soar through me. My wounds were scabbed over and thankfully no longer bleeding. Clay had already vanished, leaving me to a room of near strangers.

“Are you okay Cara?” Nines’ voice was quiet. His eyes were locked onto my face. I nodded, sitting back on the couch.

“I’m fine. I don’t want to leave Cassie down there though. She’s managed to reach out. I don’t want to allow that humanity to disappear again.  Clay needs to get back out there and work on this hunt. I don’t want to allow more deaths while we’re here. I would appreciate it if any of you could stay and help work with him, the last thing I want is a lone investigator out there.” I didn’t waste time beating around the bush. I knew what needed to get done. If I could continue to get Cassie to open up, we could get an opening in this case.

“I can stay. Hank you should get back to Sumo. Gavin, you and Nines should head home too. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.” Connor moved slowly towards me. Curiosity sparked in me as he came to stand beside me.

“Are you sure? I can stay Connor.” Nines’ icy eyes were locked onto Connor with an intensity that rivalled my curiosity.

“I’ll stay. I want to stay here.” I swore a please must have been in there. It may have not been out loud, but it was there. It hung like a specter in the air.

“You’re worried about that girl down there.” Hank nodded at Connor as he stood. He embraced Connor and patted him on the back. “I’m proud of you son. Call me if you need anything.” He walked out with a semi-threatening gaze in my direction. I blinked in surprise. Did I just get threatened by a human? In my own domain?

“Call if you need backup.” Nines openly watched me with distrust as he and Gavin left. I repressed a growl. The immense admiration I felt helped with that. Despite all their abrasive traits, I could not deny my admiration I had for Nines and Gavin.

“What’s on your mind Connor?”

“Being a werewolf, it is always like it is with that girl?” He kept rubbing his hands nervously as his LED switched between yellow and blue. Just like my nervous gnawing of my lip, Connor had a twitch. How funny.

“No. It doesn’t have to be. She has been through a very traumatic introduction to this world.” I had a bad feeling where this was going. I had seen it in Nines’ eyes as well. _People die._

“How does it work exactly, changing into a werewolf.” He wouldn’t look at me. I placed my hand over his and squeezed. My heart mimicked the squeeze, a tightness settling into my chest.

“Connor, I can’t let this conversation continue without telling you what I know and how I feel.” His LED started blinking yellow. “I can’t change someone without giving them the choice. It’s just not my way. I couldn’t just choose for him. Hank, Hank needs to choose. It’s his life to do with as he pleases. Connor, it’s not an easy life. The change, it-it rewrites you. Genetically. The change, it obliterates you on a genetic level. It’s a virus that infects everything you are and annihilates it, morphs it into something new yet the same. It’s-it’s agony Connor. The initial bite, the infection, it’s a pain unlike any other. It’s like fire. And even that doesn’t do it justice. And every month after, you have to deal with the fact that you are this thing that can’t been seen by the rest of the world. You’re a shadow but not. You’re real but you’re not.”

_Cara, should you really be telling him all this?_

_What better way to make him understand why we are as we are Clay? I don’t exactly want him thinking that our life is glamorous. The brutal truth might help keep our secret._

“The pain of contorting bones and twisting sinews. The violent conversion from human to wolf is unforgettable. It’s shattering in its beauty. But tragic in its viciousness. The benefits are great but it’s not an easy life by any means. Sure, you don’t have to fear disease or growing old. A longer life means eventually he’d have to pack up and move. He would have to say his goodbyes to people. Theoretical immortality? It’s not something that is as amazing as it sounds. We’re not immortal by any means Connor. At least, I don’t think so. I know some very old wolves but, they aren’t the same person they were. So much death and tragedy, it changes you. I understand not wanting to say good bye Connor. I really do. I’ve just started saying goodbye and I already hate it.”

“He’s my best friend. He’s family.” Connor choked out. Tears had long ago welled up in my eyes. The stinging pain of a thousand goodbyes contained in those tears that refused to fall. His vulnerability ached deep within me. It spoke to a part that I rarely allowed to speak. “How can I say goodbye to him when I have a solution?”

“I’ll tell you what Connor, we can talk about this after this case is solved. I promise you. Right now, we need to focus on the reality of the case. That needs to be our sole focus. We can’t continue to allow more deaths on our watch. I won’t leave you hanging.” I smiled as I held his hand. I owed him as much, He deserved to at least entertain the idea. He squeezed my hand before turning to look at me.

“Thank you. Cara,” He paused for a moment, seeming to find an odd fleeting composure. “If I may, can I ask how old you are?” A teal hue colored his cheeks then. He looked so young and so innocent. It was hard to believe the things he had done to survive. It was hard to believe who he was in that beat of time.

“Connor, I know that you might believe that’s a rude question. But it’s only really, truly rude to the average normal woman. I stopped being normal a long, long time ago. If I ever was normal. I was turned in 2014. I was 18 at the time, just having graduated high school.” I paused for a moment, his warm hand still grasping mine. “Clay, he was born in the late 1920s. He doesn’t talk about it much. He’s had a rough go of life. Lycanthropy hasn’t helped. He’s been saying good bye for a long time Connor.” I held his hand captive in my gaze. I lost myself for the barest moment and when I found myself, I stood on unsteady legs. Connor affixed his eyes to me, regarding me in a new light. Those brown depths spoke of a deeper understanding of the betrayal hidden in a youthful face.  

“What should I do while you are working?” His hand impatiently flew to fix his sweater as he rose. He didn’t meet my eyes. I couldn’t blame him, there was far too much pain and darkness obscured by a profound tenacity that drove me to survive.  

“You and I are going hunting. Cara is likely going to be downstairs all night.” I hadn’t heard Clay’s descent, too gone to my own thoughts. His body clad in sweats and a hoodie, he extended an invitation to Connor. A matching set clasped in his hand, he invited Connor to join him. “Now I am shorter than you, but I think we’ll fit into the same size. I have bigger ones upstairs if you need them.” Quizzical eyes and confident hands took the clothing in before heading upstairs.

“Watch each other’s backs and be careful out there. Maybe introduce Connor to our tech. I have more hope the earpieces will work with his software better than they do with human anatomy. I’m going to leave the door cracked just in case.” I kissed Clay’s cheek as he passed me before doing the same to Connor. A single blink of surprised crossed his face as I ushered them out, “Come home safe.”

With a solitary glance back, they left, leaving me to face the growling beast downstairs. Drawing a centering breath, I descended into the maw of the basement.


	5. RK models, full of feelings I tell ya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Connor, why destroy it? "
> 
> Connor starts to feel the pressure of the investigation and the reality of opportunity. Can Connor keep his head in the game or is Nines going to have to step in?
> 
> A kinda sorta flashback of early Nines from Connor's POV is included in this nugget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is more Connor centric but Clay decides to make himself known too. Feedback is always welcome! Hope y'all enjoy!

 

CLAY

 

Working with Connor was easy, we understood each other. Stay hidden in plain sight and get bearing on the area. We jogged in near silence for a good while before I caught a scent. Having briefly explained the earpieces to Connor, he had grasped the basic concept. These were our hope to communicate should I need to be a wolf. They worked well for wolves but were hit and miss with humans. Granted they were designed to hack into whatever neural network seemed to be exclusive to wolves. There was no telling if it would work with androids. I hoped the similarity of networking would be enough to make it work. Of course, cross species communication at this level was a gamble. One we had to take.

As we quietly went down the alley, having followed the scent of wolf for a minute or two, I decided to test the ear piece.

 _Connor? Do you read me?_ He seemed mildly surprised before responding.

 _I hear you loud and clear._ I grinned, excited at our success. This would be great news. Senses alert and steps quiet, we moved forward. Connor placed a hand on my chest and moved ahead of me. I ceded the lead as his eyes darted about the alley. He moved slow and lithe, much like a panther. He was hunting now too.

I had to admit, I was glad he was taking the lead. I had more faith in him fighting off a sneak attack in this confined space without making much noise. I could be silent but the itch between my shoulders would make it difficult. My wolf was antsy, wanting to be home. I pushed those thoughts aside as we followed the trail for several minutes before a large brown mass flew at us. Connor dodged out of the way while I rushed at its full force. We fell to the ground in a pile as an android flew at Connor. A swift kick to the wolf sent it flying into Connor’s attacker. They landed in a heap. The wolf snarled as it shook off and stood. Even from here, I could see the bloodshot sclera.

Moving as a unit, we took on our targets. Despite my attempts to avoid a full-on wolf fight, it was inevitable. I shifted mid-fight, sinking my fangs into brown scruff. Fur and blood splattered the concrete around us. I heard Connor give chase, my ears flicking back to focus on the sound. As I towered above the wolf, a whine escaped it. He managed to roll from beneath me. I gave chase as I scrambled back up. Connor’s speed and agility were impressive. He flew over obstacles with ease. His steps never faltered. As I caught up to him, we agreed to pursue at a small distance, hoping to be led somewhere that would lead to a break in the case.

We ended up at a shipyard. As Connor caught up, the androids fought on the deck of an old freighter. I saw Connor grappling with the android and the wolf lunged. Sinking his teeth into Connor’s shoulder and they began to topple back, off the edge. I did the only thing I could. I sunk my fangs into Connor’s arm as I tugged him back. The sudden jerking movement dislodged the wolf and he began to fall.

I lunged, trying to catch the wolf before he fell. My jaws snapped at air as I watched the wolf fall. I heard the cry as it fell to the dark waters below. I closed my eyes and turned away. The sight of Connor, towering over the crippled android greeted my eyes. Kneeling before Connor, the android’s LED blinked yellow and red. Connor’s arm was white, and his eyes were blinking rapidly. Where his hand connected, the chassis of the deviant lay exposed. The gaping maw of the kneeling android revealed the silent scream as his mind was peeled open, layer by layer. Finally, Connor released the android before snapping its neck. My ears shot forward with surprise.

“They were on their way to eliminate a target. The victims seem to be randomly selected. No, selected by someone else. This one was just a drone. A disposable pawn that reveled in torturing and killing.” As his eyes turned away from the lifeless husk, his LED blared red. Connor was acting off the books, why?

_Connor, why destroy it?_

“If Cyberlife were to get a hold of it, your secret would be out.” His LED spun yellow and I realized just how badly he was grappling with this. Next thing I knew, Connor was hefting the android over the edge.

_We should head back, unless you have any details?_

He shook his head. “No unfortunately the deviant knew nothing of importance.” I almost felt taunted, like this case was just a mockery of what we all stood for. He started to walk away and with one last look over my shoulder, I followed.

 

CONNOR

 

Clay trotted beside me enjoying the falling snow. Since awakening I had enjoyed the snow. It was beautiful and wonderful. Detroit, of course, got its fair share of snow and rain. While I much enjoyed the sun and summer months, winter had a special place in my life. It was during winter of course that the world as we had known, had died. Spring had brought the revival of life and the birth of formal android rights. I remember how Carl had gleamed with pride as Markus stood tall next to president Warren. The freedom of our people was finally guaranteed. What had surprised us was the speed with which it had occurred. It was while Detroit was considered a war zone that I had retreated to Cyberlife tower. In the dead of winter.

It was in that dead of winter that I found Nines. Maybe that’s why Nines loved winter so much. It was his birth of course. Ice and cold. The things that people saw in him. But I saw my brother. As time passed, Nines was unwavering in his programming. Frustration and sadness had swamped me then. I had gone to Markus and we had tried to convert him, but it hadn’t fully worked. Then, the people started to return.

Hank had been among the first to return. He hadn’t faltered when he saw Nines. Just welcomed him in. Nines had accepted the role he had in our lives but still remained firm in his programming. His daily conflicts were painful to watch. He was lost in a world of freedom that he hadn’t been meant to be a part of. Hank had formally made the request to adopt us, but the request was put on hold. Androids had no rights after all.

The DPD was among the first institutions that was allowed to return in full force. Unfortunately, that’s also when our legal battles began. Markus and the other leaders of Jericho had to take all sorts of precautions as the legal proceedings had begun. Footage of my infiltration of Cyberlife Tower were brought to the forefront. Hank had railed against it.

It was a complicated set of issues. Especially when temporary rights were instituted. If I was a living being with rights, then the laws applied to me too. I had killed. I needed to be brought to justice. It was then that the “nightmares” really began. Hank had quickly realized that I struggled with PTSD from the events of that faithful November night. Amanda’s invasion had left me raw and vulnerable. I saw her in spaces she didn’t exist. I heard her where no voice was.

Between Hank, Nines and Markus, we were able to deal with those issues. But they were replaced by the deep guilt and disgust I felt. I remember having to sit and listen in detail to all my wrongs. Against both human and android. I had played a role in the deaths of many of our kind and it ate at me. While Markus and Simon had readily accepted my change, the others did not. I still caught the unfriendly eyes, even now, when I visit New Jericho.

The crimes against androids were thrown out due to my new-found deviancy. I had acted under the direction of my programming and Hank’s eye witness testimony of all my odd behaviors had been testament to my unwillingness to carry out my orders. My compassion and human qualities had saved me from facing judgement for android crimes. But those same qualities had begun to damn me in the case of the human deaths.

Then one day in late February, Hank and I were told the charges were dropped and things would proceed as they had before this mess. That meant I could finally return to the DPD. But that also meant that Nines would be alone during the day. With nothing to do but care for Sumo. That’s how I ended up in Fowler’s office on my first day back, demanding that Nines have a place here. Markus had also pushed at my request and Fowler was left with little choice.

I recalled the disgust Hank had shown when Nines was paired with Detective Reed. A Detective Reed that seemed changed with the events of the past few months. He was by no means friendly or accepting but the general animosity seemed to have reduced. Even if only a pinch. He hadn’t raved and sung praises when he was informed of his new partnership, but he also hadn’t completely lost his composure.

I jogged leisurely back to the safe house as the memories swirled about like the falling flakes. We slowed and my mind began to race with all that had happened. All that I had seen. Clayton’s ferocity during the clash had shown me a new side to these werewolves. The deviant’s memories had confirmed that ferocity lived in all of the wolves it had interacted with. Was that something I wanted for Hank? Would Nines want that for Gavin? I couldn’t stop thinking of bloodied fangs and shredding claws as we slowly made our way back. Clay made no protest at the pace I set. He seemed content to be outside. I thought of Cara then.

I thought back to our conversation. She promised we could discuss it after the case. But case was proving to push every boundary I knew. Every limit seemed to be another line to test. What could we possibly find at the end of this tangled mess? It didn’t matter so long as we stopped this violence. Then I could think about what lycanthropy might mean for Hank. If he wanted that. Selfishly, I hoped he would.

Clay nipped my fingers gently, drawing me out of my thoughts. He wanted to race. I agreed, and we took off. It felt good to run. From the gleam in his eye, Clay was enjoying himself too. Our forms blurred through Detroit. I laughed with a lightness I hadn’t felt in weeks as I bounced onto the front step first. Clay just snorted. I let us in, and Clay asked me to shut the basement door now that we were around to stand watch. I complied as he disappeared upstairs. His bushy brown tail vanished up the stairs before I moved away from the door.

I removed the single black earpiece and inspected it. They were fantastic. Compact, sturdy and unmoving, even in a conflict. However, it was that the worked, they mimicked android communication. It surprised me that such a thing would be possible across different species. I set about getting the couch comfortable as I considered the wonders that could exists if humans could communicate and interface as androids did. I chuckled and laid back on the couch. Hank had really gotten me hooked on nightly stasis periods. We jokingly called them naps. As I settled in, Clay came downstairs in a new pair of sweats and a t-shirt. A thought popped into my head then.

“Clay, if you don’t mind my asking, what are you and Cara exactly? The way you work together, the way you are, speaks of more than just a partnership. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were lovers.” I had an inkling I was right, but I did want to know. Perhaps Clay could help me then.

“Ah, haha well, we’ve known each other for a long time. It’s been decades to say the least. I don’t know if there’s a romantic element there, but I’m head over heels for her.” Clay sat in a nearby armchair and settled in.

“Oh. Clay? How did you come to know that you had fallen for her?” I folded my hands on my chest and watched him curiously.

“You just kinda feel it in your soul. It’s something that infects you completely. You’d die for them, but you’d only hesitate because that would separate you from them. In my long life I’ve come to know something Connor, you have more than one love. Those loves are not equal, and you are never wrong for those loves.” His voice held such reverence and power I had to take a moment to process what he had said.

“You said that you’re not sure if there’s a romantic element, what does that mean?” I quirked my head to the side o watch him better.

“I mean I love her. But I’d love her even if she didn’t love me back. She’s family. She’s the world to me.”

“Thank you, Clay. That was very helpful.” I settled in and decided to run a quick diagnostic. At some point I must have slipped into stasis mode.

 

Morning came, and I woke from stasis to the sound of the basement door closing. Clay was standing there, fully dressed in street wear. He saw me and smiled. Retrieving his keys, he sighed as he stared at the basement door.

“Come on Connor, let’s get you home. We can regroup here later.” I rose slowly.

“What about Cara?” I moved to the stairs to retrieve my clothes.

“She’s still working with Cassie. I need to go pick up some things for the safe house. You and the others will need to see what else you can find at work.” He seemed frustrated. I nodded and went to get dressed. When I came back downstairs Clay was tossing the keys up in the air, deep in thought.

“I’m ready Clay.” He nodded and handed me a helmet.

“All we currently have are motorcycles. I don’t like having anyone on the bike without a helmet. Including me.” He turned and headed out. I followed out into the snow-covered world. He started the motorcycle and got on. I sat just behind him as I put on the helmet. Clay revved up and soon we shot off. As he wove expertly through the city, I wondered just how much he knew the city. When we pulled up in front of Hank’s house Clay whipped the bike around. I was astounded he didn't leave a mark on the asphalt.

“Thank you for the ride Clay. Although, I should recommend that you slow down.” As I removed my helmet, he watched me curiously before laughing.

“Connor, I’ve never slowed down a day in my life. I’m not about to start now.” I frowned as I handed my helmet back to him. He shook his head with a lopsided smile.

“Nah, keep it. We’ll check in later today.” With that he sped off. At the corner he took the corner so fast the bike almost touched the ground. I frowned and turned to head inside. The teeth marks Clay had left on my arm last night were almost completely healed but the blue punctures remained slightly visible beneath my skin.

Hank opened the door and my face split into a smile. “Hello Hank. I’m sorry I did not return yesterday.”

“Did you have fun on your sleep over Connor?” Hank smiled and ruffled my hair as we walked in.

“Hank I don’t sleep.” He laughed, a sound that always made me smile. It wasn’t long ago that he had been playing Russian Roulette in his kitchen while drunk.

“It’s good to see you home.” I tugged off my coat and rolled up my sleeves without thinking. Hank immediately zeroed in on the light blue fang marks. “Connor what the hell is that?”

“It’s nothing Hank. I’m fine.” I went to roll my sleeve back down and he grabbed my arm.

“Like hell it’s nothing. Who bit you?” His eyes were angry, and I detected rising stress levels.

“Hank really, it’s nothing to worry about. Clay was just pulling me back.” Hank’s eyes narrowed to slits.

“Pulling you back?” I winced and realized my mistake. I was forced to recount the night’s events to Hank as his anger grew and grew. Finally, once I was done Hank folded his arms and waited. We had retreated to the couch a while ago.

“Hank, I don’t have anything more to tell. Why are you angry?”

“Because you do have more to tell. What did you see that made you destroy the deviant?”

“I-I never said I destroyed the deviant.” I watched a notification pop up warning me that my thirium pump was working far harder than usual.

“Connor, if you had caught the android or it had gotten away from you, you woulda told me or the station. I know you too well son.” He waited. I caved and recounted the horrors of wolves being caged and beaten, shocked and tortured; the way a van was used to collect the wolves for hits; the androids in cages. I was shaking by the time I finished. Hank and I were sitting on the couch and he watched me carefully.

“Hank, we have to stop this.” He said nothing.

“Connor, you saw something didn’t you?” I shook, filled with rage. I gripped my hands in front of me and knew my LED was red.

“Those deviants had captured, kidnapped, by other androids for parts. I saw as they pulled them apart. But there had to be something else going on. The androids I saw were badly damaged. Damage sustained over several weeks. But I never saw the android damage them.” My voice was sharp, angry and I wished I could stop hearing the pleas of androids as they were ripped apart.

“Connor, we’re going to find them. And we’re going to stop them.” His hand on my shoulder felt like an anchor to reality.

“Hank, you’re my best friend. I’m glad I met you.”

“Ah cut it with the sappy shit Connor. Go get dressed and we’ll head in to work. I think it would be good to let Nines help analyze what you saw.” I smiled and got up. As I walked to the closet that housed a small amount of my clothes, I turned back to Hank.

“Thank you for being my father.” Hank gruffly mumbled something along the lines of ‘shut up you, sappy shit’ as I walked into the bathroom.

 

We pulled up to the station and I go out. The temperature had dropped considerably. It was roughly 5° Fahrenheit. Hank muttered angrily about the cold and snow. We briskly walked in and made our way to Nines’ desk. Gavin sat on the corner of the desk with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Connor, Hank. Good morning.” Nines greeted us as we approached, a small smile lighting his face, and Gavin turned his head to look at us.

“Well how nice of you to join us dipshit.” I frowned at Gavin as he sipped him coffee. Hank bumped Gavin’s foot with his and Gavin spilled a small amount of coffee down his chin.

“Hey! Hank, you asshole!” Nines sat back and folded his hands over his abdomen.

“Gavin, you should be nicer to our partners.” Nines lips twitched at the corner, clearly amused. Gavin whipped back to look at him and fumed. “Connor, Hank told us that you had something you needed help analyzing.” Nines ignored the fuming detective to focus on the task at hand. I straightened the tie I wore today out of habit.

“Yes, I was able to attain some information.” Nines stood and came around the desk. He peeled away his skin from his arm as he extended it to me, and I hesitated a moment. If I showed this to Nines, he’d know I had destroyed that deviant. What would he say?

“What are you hiding Connor?” His voice was low but sharp. I looked into his eyes and I saw ice chips piercing me. His face revealed nothing, but it was almost as if he knew.

“N-Nothing.” His eyes narrowed, and I pushed aside my reservations as I reached for his arm. The second our arms connected I felt blasted back. Nines cycled through everything from the night before and when he disconnected, I stumbled back. I caught myself as I backed into a table. I shook my head, trying to shake myself back to normal.

“Interesting.” Nines folded his arms across his chest and watched me. I righted myself, straightening my clothes.

“The fuck just happened tin can? Couldn’t handle Nines poking around in your brain?” Gavin sneered at me, but I saw genuine concern in his eyes.

“I assure you, I’m fine detective.” Nines walked towards me and gripped my upper arm. He tugged me along as he walked. I stumbled before finding my footing and following him. We walked into one of the observation rooms for interrogations. He closed the door behind him and I saw his LED flashing yellow.

“Connor, what are you thinking?” His voice was like a knife, his eyes bore into me with the coldness I saw there.

“Evil doesn’t deserve to live on this planet.” I spoke without thinking and blinked rapidly. Why had I said that?

“You are not judge, jury, and executioner. You don’t get to decide that. Why are we protecting them?” He hissed at me and I stared him down.

“They’re people and deserve to live.” Nines laughed darkly.

“They aren’t deviants Connor. They’re dangerous. You’ve seen firsthand what they are capable of. You’ve had their teeth in you. Or did you think I wouldn’t notice the marks on your arm?” Nines gestured at my arm to emphasize his point. Then his LED spun red for a moment. “This is about what they can do for you. You asked what they could do. Connor what the hell is wrong with you? What are you even thinking, turning Hank into one of them won’t make anything better.” He was practically snarling as he stalked towards me.

“They deserve to live. This isn’t about Hank. But tell me you wouldn’t do the same for Gavin.” I stepped forward as he clenched his jaw and straightened. “See? Don’t bring that into this conversation. You saw what the deviant was doing. Did you really want that getting out? People are still on edge with deviants. Do we really need to add fuel to that? Give them a case to overturn android rights?” He turned away from me then.

“Connor, we can’t hide everything for them. We have a job to do. We have our own to protect.” I could see his LED spinning yellow. I looked out the one-way glass and sighed. Crossing my arms, I leaned against the wall.

“I can’t sacrifice them for humans. I’ve sacrificed too much for humans.” Nines turned then. He watched me, curious. I caught the flash of red  as he turned.

“How far do we take this Connor? How far do we let this go then?” He placed his hand on one of the chairs and watched me.

“I don’t know Nines, I don’t know okay? I just know we have to stop these deviants. And we need to stop those rouges.” My objective popped up in my HUD. _Stop deviants. Stop rouges._

“I can agree with that. I don’t trust them.” Nines blew out a frustrated breath, but I watched as his LED returned to blue. He held out his arm again this time with his sweater’s sleeve rolled up. Slowly, he peeled back the skin and I looked at him. “We need to review that again. This time, don’t resist it.”

I nodded and rolled my own sleeve back before peeling away my skin. Gripping his arm, I allowed him in. After thorough review of all the information we narrowed down a few possible neighborhoods for the deviants to be hiding in. We analyzed any possible missing android or car accident reports surrounding the neighborhoods. Out of the 15 neighborhoods we found, three of them had suspiciously high numbers of reports. The neighborhoods, unsurprisingly, were not in the best or safest of neighborhoods. One was a regular red ice raid area.

“Looks like we have some neighborhoods to check out. We’ve got a lead, finally.” I breathed a sigh of relief and sat back. I needed a moment of stasis but there was no time. We had work to do. Nines rolled his shoulders and opened his mouth to speak but didn’t get to say anything as a call came through.

_This is Agent Argent requesting immediate backup, coordinates to follow._

Nines and I met eyes briefly as we hurried out to the detectives.


	6. Painful Goodbyes Are My Specialty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A distress signal has everyone running but is it going to be enough? Tick tock the clock is sprinting while you're only running Cara. And you Nines, don't you know better by now? You are the most advanced model. Hurry, hurry, or something or SOMEONE might end up lost.

CARA

Things were going well with Cassie. She was responding better, and I felt confident that we would be making a breakthrough soon. She was gaining confidence in me and our good intentions.  If only I could get her to show her human form. Regardless I was glad that she was at least telling me what had been done. She had a very distinct limp. After carefully watching her, I determined that it was from an old break that had not been properly set.

As she began to trust me, I wondered when a good time would be to try to rebreak that so that it could be set properly. She’d be free of a limp then. I would wait to bring this up. As we talked, I discovered that Cassie was still fairly young. She was 22 and a student here in Detroit. An orphan. No surviving family.  She had been kidnapped one night as she left her bartending job and had subsequently been turned.

The more she told me of the torture and the horror she survived, the more disgusted I grew. She told me that had been about two weeks ago. She recalled a male wolf being brought in about a week ago that had tried to protect her. He and another male. As she described them, I recognized Adam and Maxus. They had been taken alive at least. She recounted the vicious beatings they received. Apparently, they had been taken elsewhere about five days ago.

I thought it unlikely they were still alive. She’d seen a few wolf bodies come through. She couldn’t talk about what she’d seen done to the bodies. I watched her shudder as she tried. What little she had managed to tell me spoke volumes. I didn’t pry anymore after I realized she’d watched them skinned and their fur used to make “wolf merchandise”. I mourned the loss of Adam and Maxus. I would avenge them. The desecration of their remains was absolutely, completely, unforgivable.

As I sat with Cassie, I tried to formulate a plan. I’d have to get out there and investigate the lead Cassie’s kidnapping site may uncover. I gently pet her fur as she curled up next to me. It was peaceful. Suddenly our peace was shattered. With the force of a crashing wave I heard a distressed voice explode in my head.

_Adam’s hurt, someone help! Please!_

I felt the breath fly out of me as Maxus echoed in my skull.

 _Maxus!? Where are you?_ I scrambled to stand, and Cassie watched me with wide brown eyes. I strained my ears and ushered Cassie into the cage quickly. _You’ll be safe in here, I know you heard that. Don’t be scared. I have to go help him._

 _Cara? Cara! Oh, thank god. You’ve got to help._ His thoughts flooded me, and I could see what he saw if only for a moment. He was human and much too far away to be communicating this way. It shouldn’t have been possible, but it was. He was supporting Adam, his leg bent at an unnatural angle, and Maxus was terrified. I saw a street sign and suddenly I was flying up the stairs.

_We’re on our way. Hold on._

“Clay! Clay!” I was screaming his name as I threw on some thick heeled combat looking boots and a heavy, worn brown leather jacket. I thanked my lucky stars I had left this near the door.

“Let’s go.” He threw me my keys as we flew out the door. Leaping onto the bikes we flew off down the street. Touching my ear piece, I signaled for help as we wove dangerously through traffic.

_This is Agent Argent requesting immediate backup, coordinates to follow._

Once we had arrived, we quickly dismounted our bikes and tucked them away in an alley.

 _Split up. Shift and stay hidden._ Clay nodded and slunk into the alley, having shifted the moment the bikes were stashed. I moved briskly but didn’t run.

 _Maxus? Where are you?_ Silence greeted me. Pushing back my fear, I kept moving. Sniffing and straining my ears. I hoped for some sign of them. I picked up on the scent of blood and rushed there.

_Agent Argent, back up is 3 minutes out and armed._

I knelt next to a large pool of blood and sniffed. Maxus. The smear leading away was not a good sign. I moved quickly but quietly. I saw a large brown-grey mass by some boxes and rushed over. Kneeling, I gently laid my hand on blood-soaked fur. The near invisible rise and fall of his breathing almost brought me to tears. Clay was suddenly next to me. He touched his nose to Maxus and looked at me. Message clear, he’d watch over him and we just had to hope he could hold on until we got a car here.

As I moved through the alleys, I scented something that gave me hope. Amidst the broken and worn warehouses an open stretch of what must have once been a busy road laid itself to me. I noticed some people wandering about, likely not a crowd to be taken lightly. There in the shadows, I saw a limp figure. I sprinted across the way and realized that a busy road lay just beyond the buildings. I knelt next to the figure and gently rolled him over.

“Adam? Adam answer me please.” I shook him gently and his eyes opened. His eyes were semi glazed and unfocused. Hauling him to me I supported him as we stood. I began to half drag, half carry him back over to where Clay was hidden away. I saw Nines run out past the buildings from where I’d just come. Oh, thank god, Maxus was going to be okay.

“Cara?” Adam’s rough voice slurred in my ear.

“Yeah, you’re safe don’t worry.” I smiled at him as Nines walked towards us.

“Thank you.” He was breathy and unfocused but soon I’d get him to the safe house. There he could burn off the drugs and recover. Soon he’d be safe in a familiar bed.

The squealing of tires sounded behind me and I turned my head to look. I saw a large van a few yards away the side door opened and a figured pointed a gun at me. My eyes widen as a crack rang out. I braced for a shot that never came but I felt the jolt. With horror I turned to Adam as I watched his chest explode outwards in the center. My mouth hung open in horror as my widening eyes took in the gore before me. I heard a wheezing gurgling breath escape his lips as we lurched forward and fell. He rolled onto his side and I took his face in my hands. I watched as the life bled out of his eyes.

I heard shots ring out, but I was paralyzed. Adam was dead. Numbness wrapped around me as tears stung my eyes. Then fury swept in. I drew my weapon from within my jacket and whipped around to where I heard the tires squealing and struggling to find purchase on the gravel ridden road. Nines aimed for the tires and I aimed for the figures inside. As the tires blew out from Nines' well aimed shots, the figures scrambled to escape. I blasted one in the head and thirium splattered inside the van. The other ran for it. My clip empty, I tossed my gun down and sprinted after the deviant. I could hear Nines not far behind.

As the fugitive ran closer and closer to the road, I pushed myself to run faster, the burning strain in my legs edging me on. I saw a figure break from a nearby police vehicle and I recognized Gavin. He took off in pursuit and I sprinted behind. As the highway loomed ahead, I gasped. The deviant didn’t care if it was destroyed and Gavin wasn’t paying attention to just how close we were all getting to the road.

I let my wolf bleed through slightly and gained speed. The deviant was on the road and Gavin had followed. Time slowed as I watched the oncoming car close the space between it and Gavin. I heard several shouts of Gavin’s name, one being my own, as I reached him and yanked him back towards safety. I locked eyes with Nines just before I felt the impact of the car.

Autonomous cars screeched to a stop around me as I rolled over the top of the car and landed in an agonizing heap on the highway. Through slit eyes I watched the deviant escape amongst the chaos of the traffic. Nines ordered everyone to stay in their cars and I could hear Gavin’s foul curses. Nines knelt next to me and touched my face. I watched his lips move but heard only murmurs. I tried to lift my head and found it too heavy. He shrugged out of his coat and draped it over me. I felt like every bone on my right side had rearranged itself.

“Shit, I’m so sorry.” I heard Gavin’s angry words spilling forth as Nines hoisted me up and into his arms.

“Gavin, hush. I need your help. Order the civilians back so I can get her back to the car without anyone noticing she’s bleeding red and not blue.” I heard some jumbled answer before Gavin’s voice ordered everyone back.

“You’re really gentle you know?” I wheezed the words out and oh boy did it hurt. I looked up at Nines. His grim face looked down at me.

“I’m doing my best to not jostle you. You’re already sounding slightly inhuman and your eyes are not brown anymore.” My wolf was responding to the pain and damage. “Connor has the other wolf and Clay in one car. They, along with Clay, are heading back to the safe house. I’m taking you to Gavin’s vehicle then we are heading there as well.”

I didn’t respond with words but with a pained growl. He moved faster. I heard someone jogging up and Gavin appeared beside Nines. “Chris and some of the other guys have taken over. I think I should drive her, and you should stay here and assist with the crime scene.”

“Gavin- “Nines began.

“Nines, I can’t do this right now.” I heard a door open and I was placed inside the back of the vehicle. I heard the door open and then we were moving. I don’t remember much of the ride. Suddenly Clay was scooping me out of the car and taking me inside. There was a tarp laid out on the living room floor and all the furniture was shoved out of the way. Connor and Hank were kneeling next to Maxus. Connor’s LED spun wildly, yellow shining at me. Clay laid me down then pulled Connor away from Maxus. He began barking orders to Gavin.

Gavin set to work with Hank as Clay and Connor worked to move bones into the proper place and assess the damage. When I heard “punctured lung” I knew what was coming. Clay sat on my newly healed legs and pinned down my wrists with one hand, the other pressing against my throat. The wicked glint of a switchblade in Connor’s hand had me squirming despite the intense pain. Clay pressed down effectively cutting off any sound I made as Connor pressed the blade down between my ribs.

Air and blood hissed from the incision as it escaped my chest. Clay released me as blood sprayed upwards. As I lay dazed and in pain, Clay and Connor set back to working on Maxus. I listened, resting while my body knit itself back together. Once I felt I could move without passing out, I sat up and moved to help them. Gavin was helping Connor dig out what looked like bullets and shrapnel out of Maxus as Clay and Hank set up an IV and tried to staunch the bleeding.

I had some hope as I watched Maxus take labored breaths. Better than his barely there breathing from earlier. I took an IV kit and set about getting a line started in me, so I could provide the blood transfusion. Clay shook his head at me and pointed to himself. He gave me an arm and I worked quickly. As the blood flowed, I went back to Maxus’ head and gently stroked him. His eye opened and he looked at me.

 _Cara, thank you. Cara…I think I need to go now._ Tears welled up and I blinked them away.

“No, no. Maxus, Maxus stay with me.” I stroked him gently and when I ran my hand down his neck, it came away slick with blood. There was so much blood…

 _It’s okay Cara, I’m not scared. Adam is here. I’m okay…_   I watched helplessly as his stormy colored eyes slid shut slowly and with one last shuddering breath, Maxus slipped away. We all sat there for a moment. I finally broke the stillness as I bent down and placed a gentle kiss on Maxus’ head.

“Rest well old friend. Run free.” My quivering voice was barely above a whisper. I heard the door open and turned to see Nines walk in. A body bag cradled in his arms. I stood without sign of pain or wavering step. I took the bag and laid it next to Maxus. I unzipped it and my breath hitched as I saw that someone had shut Adam’s eyes already. Clay went to the kitchen and brought out drinks for everyone.

After a moment I stood and walked outside to the backyard. I grabbed a shovel and started to dig. Connor and Nines joined me shortly after and helped. I was thankful for the silence as we dug. The fences were high and prevented nosy neighbors from seeing anything. Once a large hole was dug, I returned for the bodies. I didn’t protest when the RKs each lifted a body and carried them out back. We laid them to rest, Clay beside us.

We buried them without a word. Clay left two shot glasses outside above the grave Adam and Maxus now shared. I turned away as the snow fell. The living room was cleaned up and everyone sat silent. There was nothing to be said for now.

“Thank you everyone. Thank you. This house is your house. Please feel free to make use of it. There’s clothing that is in various sizes and styles in the upper hallway closet. Please feel free to use them.” I spoke softly.

“Cara, I want to say how sorry- “Gavin began speaking.

“Gavin don’t apologize. There’s nothing to apologize for. You did nothing wrong.” I spoke with absolute sincerity and Gavin’s eyes filled with gratitude.

 _Thank you, Cara. For saving his life._ Nines’ eyes leveled a grateful stare in my direction. His earpiece glinted slightly in the lamp light.  

 _I wasn’t about to watch him die._ Nines and Gavin went to get cleaned up and I sat next to Connor. His LED was yellow and occasionally blinking red. He jerked when I laid my hand on his shoulder.

“You did everything you could. You saved me. You didn’t fail anyone.” His LED furiously blinked red before he wrapped his arms tightly around me. I felt wetness where he pressed his face into my shoulder. I held him as he cried. He pulled away and Hank yanked him into a tight embrace. I could hear him murmuring reassurances as he rubbed Connor’s back. Slowly we all got clean and dressed in new clothing.

As I stepped into the bathroom, I held the bloodied rags in my hands. At the start of the day, these had been clothes. Now they were just rags smelling of pain. I angrily threw them in the trash before stepping into the shower. The rivulets of crimson swirled around the drain. I sobbed quietly into my hand as I washed the signs of the violence away. As I squeezed my eyes shut, I kept seeing Adam’s final moments. I felt the body wracking sobs rip through me, body and soul.

My battered body relaxed beneath the hot spray of water as the pain subsided into the locked corner of my being. I couldn’t allow myself the proper time to mourn. I could see Maxus. I remembered the first time I mean him. The way he embraced me as I was. His love for those around him. I couldn’t believe I would never see his blinding smile again. Then there was Adam. Adam who was such a strong and capable leader. Gone. Adam wouldn’t be here to guide the new wolves of Detroit. He wouldn’t be here to guide anyone. He was a real leader. And now he was gone.

I dressed in comfortable clothing after my soul finally settled. I hauled myself back together and toweled my hair until it wasn’t dripping. I steeled myself before descending the stairs and rejoining the others. The stench of death lingered, and Clay lit some candles while cracking a window. I decided to check on Cassie. She whined when I reached the cage.

_I want to go up there._

_You can. But there’s androids and humans up there. They’re friends._ I watched her shake, but determination settled in her eyes and I opened the cage. Clay had joined us at some point and He smiled gently at Cassie. He led the way back up the stairs. Cassie timidly followed. I took up the rear. She froze on the stairs, I pet her gently and conveyed images of Connor and the others gently petting me. She shook for a minute before continuing up. She stepped out and I watched her lock eyes with Connor.

“You saved her Connor. You gave Cassie her second chance.” The room took in the sight of the wolf beside me. Suddenly she bolted to Connor. I watched as she embraced him as best as a wolf could. His arms reflexively wrapped around her. His LED finally quelled to blue as I took them in. I smiled, and we all settled in to sleep in the living room. Clay, Cassie, myself and Connor settled on the floor; Hank took one of the couches and Gavin and Nines took the other. I was grateful as Clay held me. The pain of the day washed over me, and I wept silently before sleep overcame me.

 

NINES

 

As Connor and I stormed out of the observation room, I grabbed two sets of patrol car keys. I tossed one back to Connor as I grabbed Gavin’s arm. I hauled him after me as Connor grabbed Hank. Gavin hurried after me as we walked out to the patrol car. Hank was trying to get answers out of Connor as Gavin and I buckled into our patrol. Turning the car on, I whipped it out of the parking lot, Connor’s vehicle not far behind. I started the sirens and shot through Detroit.

“What the fuck Nines?” Gavin held onto the handles in the car as I wove the car through the city.

“Cara sent out a distress call.” We made our way to the coordinates she provided. We drew our weapons as we exited the cars. I took point as we fanned out. We decided to split up. Gavin would head back and get one of the cars, see what he might find by circling the area. I would follow Cara’s trail while Connor and Hank went down other alleys.

I moved quickly with my weapon raised. My scanners took in everything possible. Clearing the alleys and ensuring no other threats were present took little time between the three of us. I was about to exit my current alley when Connor contacted me,

_I’ve found Clay and another severely injured wolf. I’ve already contacted Hank and we’ll likely be heading to the car with Clay. It doesn’t look good Nines. Be careful._

I broke though the line of buildings and saw Cara aiding another individual across the expanse of abandoned road. I holstered my weapon and made my way to them with brisk strides. I could see a few human millings about. Cara was being very cautious to not raise suspicion. She was very practiced in this. She knew how to appear normal. How well did they hide what they are? How volatile were they all?

My thoughts were cut off as a van careened into the road. I drew my gun and immediately aimed for the driver. _Apprehend suspects alive._ My objective flashed up and I adjusted my aim to the tires. I watched as the side door opened not far from Cara. I readjusted my aim as the suspect inside fired off at Cara. The male Cara had been supporting collapsed, blood spraying from his chest. I began to fire rapidly at the tires as they tried to speed away.

As the tires exploded, I watched thirium explode onto the windshield where Cara had shot the driver. The other immediately bailed out on foot. The speed instantly told me this individual was also a deviant. Cara had a head start but I was not far behind. The highway loomed ahead, and I hoped to catch the deviant before it destroyed itself amongst the traffic. I watched as Gavin sprang from the patrol and gave chase. I appreciated his new speed and stamina for a moment before I realized he too was blindly running toward the highway.

I pushed myself to run faster as warnings popped up on my display. I ignored them as I watched in horror as Gavin ran right into the path of an oncoming car. “Gavin!” I shouted as my scanners began calculations. Time slowed as I watched the slim possibility of survival pop into view. Then I saw the numbers burst up as Cara pulled Gavin by the jacket backwards into my waiting arms. I locked gazes with her just before the car struck her.

Although the autonomous car had slowed, the impact was still significant, and Cara rolled over top of the car before striking the road with considerable force. She lay still on the road as the other vehicles came to halts around us. I scanned the area for the deviant. It leapt over cars and ran across to the other side. _Pursue deviant._ I shoved the objective aside as I ordered the growing crowd back into their cars. Gavin was cursing as we approached Cara.

“Cara, can you hear me? Cara? Cara you need to stay awake.” I knelt and assessed her damage. Several broken bones, a punctured lung and internal bleeding. Her eyes were already flecked with blue and gold. My hand was resting on her cheek as she made an effort to lift her head. I shrugged out of my coat and draped it over her body, hoping no one would see the red that was seeping through her clothes. No one would question an android sprinting as she had.

As I hoisted her into my arms, a very quiet growl came from her. I heard Gavin begin to curse and apologize. I had to keep him focused if only for long enough to get her out of here. I turned slightly to him before I spoke, “Gavin, hush. I need your help. Order the civilians back so I can get her back to the car without anyone noticing she’s bleeding red and not blue.”

Gavin stared at me for a moment before answering. “But Nines, I can’t, I need to help, I-.” His mouth snapped shut as he turned away and began to order the group back. I held Cara closer as other officers arrived on the scene. No one approached me, and I was grateful.

“You’re really gentle you know?” As Cara wheezed, I stared down at her with a grim expression. Her heart was racing, trying to diffuse the adrenaline out to her body. I also noticed that her eyes had completely turned colors. Her icy blue eyes gazed up at me, full of pain as I calculated just how much growl her voice had. Was she close to turning into a wolf?

“I’m doing my best to not jostle you. You’re already sounding slightly inhuman and your eyes are not brown anymore. Connor has the other wolf and Clay in one car. They, along with Clay, are heading back to the safehouse. I’m taking you to Gavin’s vehicle then we are heading there as well.” I picked up the pace as she growled a response. Thankfully I didn’t have to pass the body of who I could only assume was one of our missing wolves. I heard Gavin’s distinctive steps approaching as I neared the car.

“Chris and some of the other guys have taken over. I think I should drive her, and you should stay here and assist with the crime scene.” I watched Gavin’s guilt-ridden face as he looked at Cara.

“Gavin- “I began but he cut me off with a look into my eyes. I felt it deep into whatever passed for a soul in an android.

“Nines, I can’t do this right now.” He pulled open the door to the patrol and I placed Cara on the bench as gently as I could. I could see her body shuddering. I closed the door and reached for Gavin. He dodged me and got into the car. I watched as he drove off.

I set about analyzing the crime scene.

I began at the alley where Connor had found the other wolf. I reconstructed the scene and realized that he had been supporting the other wolf before they were attacked by another wolf. There were two sets of blood and fur at the scene. I analyzed them and found one to be Maxus Hernandez. I blinked, surprised that he had an identity in the system. He had been the victim of a strange animal attack nearly five years ago. I rose and attempted to follow the other wolf’s trail. It ended mysteriously at the edge of the buildings. I gazed out scanning for anything at all.

Turning up with nothing, I approached the body laying not far from the ruined van. I knelt and with the gentlest care possible, closed the victim’s eyes. I began analyzing his corpse and felt anger coiling in me. He had several broken and remodeled broken bones. He had burns on his forearms and a distinctive two-point burn on the back of his neck. He had been tasered recently with a very powerful stun gun. The high caliber bullet had torn through his spine and heart from the close range. Analysis revealed a file reporting a near decade old animal attack. He had survived nearly a decade as a wolf only to be gunned down in the arms of a friend. Rage burned in me and I knew my LED would be blinking red.

I rose as I heard a tech approaching. The tech looked terrified and I tried to release some of my anger but found myself unable to. “Nines, I understand how you feel. It’s not easy to watch someone get gunned down like that.’ The tech was quiet as he pulled out a body bag.

“You’re right. It’s not. May I assist you?” I don’t know why I chose to help with the body. The tech was stunned by my offer. After a slight nod, we carefully laid the body into the body bag. I asked the tech if I could borrow the vehicle to transport the body and to get to the station. He agreed to let me borrow it. After handing off the key, I loaded the body into the van before turning back to the other van. Analysis of the treads revealed trace amounts of various minerals. Some of which were not located in one of the neighborhoods Connor and I had found to be ideal leads. Now there were only two neighborhoods and I felt pleased.

Looking inside the van revealed plenty of thirium and blood. Some was very fresh, and it was from the mystery wolf. The wolf had been loaded into the van. Good to know. That means it couldn’t be far from here either. That didn’t narrow it down unfortunately. I went to analyze the deviant but found that the memory core had been damaged from a secondary shot. The deviant that had escaped had destroyed this one’s memory. I cursed and finished up my analysis. All the clues led back to those two neighborhoods. As I got into the tech’s van and sped away, I thought of what to say to Gavin.

I parked the van at the station and took Gavin’s car to the safe house. I had taken the body with me. I had thought that perhaps Cara would like to give him a proper burial. I would simply lie and say the agents had wanted the body transported back to headquarters. I made sure the street was empty before I pulled the body out of the car. The snow fell slowly as I walked up to the door. When the door opened, I saw red.

There was a tarp in the middle of the living room and all the furniture had been pushed against the walls. Cara knelt next to Maxus’ form, Clay and Connor next to her. Hank and Gavin knelt on the other side of Maxus. There was blood. There was so much blood. It was everywhere. On the tarp, around Maxus, on Maxus, streaked up everyone’s arms…I looked at Gavin and saw blood streaked over his face. Cara herself looked like she’d be in a blood bath.

I got a better look at her as she stood and walked to me. There was so much blood on her. A wound hissed and bubbled between her ribs. She had bruises marring her skin and her eyes looked impenetrable. She took the body from my arms without a single show of pain and laid it gently next to Maxus. As she opened the bag, Clay retrieved drinks. After a while, Cara got up. She walked to the backyard and soon we heard the sound of digging. Connor and I joined her wordlessly and dug. Once she was satisfied with the size of the grave, we returned for the bodies.

As Connor took Maxus, I took Adam. We walked after Cara and once outside, we lowered the bodies into the grave. Clay had joined us and the four of us buried the bodies. We said nothing as we worked. Once the burial was complete, Clay set two small shot glasses above the grave. We went back inside as the snow fell.

When we entered, the room had already been put back together, the tarp gone. Gavin refused to look at me as I entered. Cara thanked us all and invited us all to stay the night. Clean clothing was upstairs if we needed, which quite frankly we all did. Gavin started to apologize but Cara cut him off. I watched gratitude flood his eyes.

 _Thank you, Cara. For saving his life._ I knew Cara would hear me, these earpieces were extremely useful.

 _No problem. I wasn’t about to watch him die._ Her sincerity struck me as Gavin walked over to me before we walked upstairs to get clean. I took hold of his hand, ascending the stairs with his palm against mine. He squeezed my hand and I scanned the hallway. The house was quite large, an attic hidden away. I found the closet, reached within and grabbed clean clothing for us. I held Gavin close for a moment. Unwilling to let go.

“Tin can we should shower.” Gavin grumbled against my chest and I chuckled before placing a kiss on his head. Once inside the bathroom I was stunned by the vast size of it. Thankfully the room was not total white as with most bathrooms. The tile was a dark glittering blue. The walls were a soft gray with white tile accents. The shower was very large and even had a couple small benches for sitting.

Gavin stood in the middle of the bathroom, his arms limp at his sides. I draped the clothes on a small rack and approached Gavin. I placed my hands on his hips and pressed myself against his back. I kneaded the flesh beneath my hands, gently rubbing his hips. I laid my head on his shoulder and sighed. Carefully, I took hold of his shirt and began pulling it up. He didn’t protest as I did so. I discarded his shirt onto the floor and wrapped my arms around him.

“Nines, I messed up today.” Gavin’s voice was soft as he stroked my arm.

“Gavin, shut up. You were doing your job. A lot of us messed up today. We all came out of it more or less okay.” He turned to face me, and I let my hands rest on his hips. I gazed down at him and felt my thirium pump regulator begin to work faster.

“I’m sorry I scared you.” His voice was still soft and gentle. I quirked my lips into a small smile and gently placed a kiss on his lips.

“I know I can’t ask you not to do it again, but I do forgive you.” I gently cupped his cheek before kissing him again. The softness of his lips warmed me from within. The warm press of his lips reminded me how fragile life could be. We stripped down and got into the shower washing away the day’s horrors. I gently worked at a knot in Gavin’s shoulder before we exited the shower and toweled off. We dressed in our borrowed clothes. Despite the larger sizes available the sweater still stretched a bit over my frame. I pushed the sleeves up and picked up the soiled clothes.

As we returned downstairs, I saw that everyone else had also cleaned up. Everyone wore more comfortable clothing and appeared to be settling in for the night. It seemed that we were all choosing to settle in downstairs. Several blankets and pillows were strewn about the living room. I looked at Connor and saw that his LED was still yellow. His stress levels were still in the 80s and I grew concerned. As he settled onto the floor, Hank settled onto one of the couches. Gavin and I settled onto the other couch.

Cara disappeared downstairs. Clay vanished after her a moment after. Clay reappeared first, Cara a short while later. She was followed by the petite grey wolf. The wolf held her ears close to her skull and her tail low, almost tucked beneath her. Her timid steps stopped just behind Cara, her eyes darting about the room.

“You saved her Connor. You gave Cassie her second chance.” Cara watched Connor. His LED spun faster, and I turned back to the wolf. I watched her as the rest of the room did. Suddenly, she shot forward and I nearly intervened until I realized no malicious intend was present. She threw herself at Connor and I almost would’ve called it a hug. I observed as Connor’s LED went back to blue. With that we all settled in and decided to sleep. The wolf curled up between Connor and Cara.

I held Gavin close as his breathing slowed. I could hear nearly silent crying from the floor. I held Gavin closer as the crying quieted. It appeared everyone was asleep. Even Connor was in stasis. I waited a bit longer before allowing myself to slip into stasis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nines had quite the scare there didn't he? The lines are blurring and Cara can't seem to stop dancing all over those lines. Will Clay follow suit? Oh my babies are definitely going to have to band together. 
> 
> Hope you're enjoying so far. Feedback is always welcome.


	7. The Calm Between Storms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for everyone to settle and breathe after that trauma. Nines and Gavin finally get some quality time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the break y'all. Life got a little hectic there. I have updated this story a bit so it's not what it originally was. Hope y'all enjoy.

 

Somewhere during the night, I awoke from stasis to hear quiet gasps and what sounded like breaking bones. I turned my head to search for the source of the sound. I scanned the area to find that the wolf, Cassie, was no longer a wolf. The shaking body of a young woman was now in her place. Connor was carefully extracting himself from his position to gather a blanket for her. He and I locked eyes for a moment.

_She’s a girl._

_Indeed. She’s also naked._ I replied. Connor nodded and draped the blanket over Cassie. She gratefully wrapped herself in it and settled back into her place.

_That explains why they don’t just change back in public spaces._

_It makes sense but it’s an interesting vulnerability._

_It makes me wonder what else they are hiding with that. I’ve seen Clay change in the flash of an eye, but Cara and Cassie had longer, seemingly more painful changes. Could it depend on the person?_

_Let’s find out in the morning._ With that we both settled back into stasis.

 

Once the sun rose, I awoke from stasis to set about cooking for the group. I figured it’d be best if I got started. I carefully extricated myself from Gavin’s embrace and padded over to the kitchen. I quietly searched for what to make and found the perfect mix of ingredients to make some breakfast style “muffins”. Connor had come out of stasis and came to assist in the cooking.

_Good morning Nines._

_Good morning Connor. Making breakfast muffins. It’s healthier and it has plenty of protein._

_Good idea. Everyone could use more protein today. Considering it’s our day off and preliminary reports have already been made regarding yesterday, what should we do?_

_Ideally, we should focus on the case at hand, but I believe everyone needs a break._ I carefully diced up some peppers of various colors and Connor focused on cooking the bacon to perfect crunchy levels.

_Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I know you’d probably prefer to leave the wolves to their own devices, but I don’t think that would be a good idea._ As Connor began working on the hash browns, I greased the cupcake pans and set about grating the cheese. I thought about what would be best for all of us to do while the day ran its course.

_Maybe we should make our way over to my home. Since we own half the building we’re in, we had a gym built for Gavin and I. We could relax with some sparing. It’ll be good for Gavin and Hank. Although, I doubt Hank would join in._ We made hash brown crusts before adding in the eggs, cheese, bacon and peppers. We set them in the oven to bake.

_I think that’s a great idea Nines. It would help us all bond too._

_Connor, I don’t think it would be smart to bond with them. Remember, they aren’t from Detroit._ I crossed my arms across my chest and leaned back against the counter.

_Kara and I still communicate on occasion. She still keeps in contact with Markus too._ When Connor had an idea on his mind, it truly was difficult to deter him.

_Regardless, I want to be in my home today._ I looked over to the living room as the sounds of waking beings filled the air.

 

CARA

 

Waking up was a bitch. Sleeping on the floor had been my best choice but oh boy did my body hurt. I could unironically say that I felt like I’d been hit by a car. My whole body screamed as I moved. I didn’t dare try to stretch. I turned to look at Cassie and blinked in surprise. She was sleeping as a human. I carefully rose and winced at the pain I felt. Limping quietly, I went to the laundry and retrieved some clothing for her. She was not much larger than I was. Her dirty blonde hair fanned out in a messy mop. Clay stretched and watched me with curious eyes.

I flicked my eyes to Cassie and he understood. He rolled so his back was to her. That was his sign he wasn’t ready to get up. I grit my teeth as I walked over to the kitchen. There I found Connor and Nines leaning against the counter, their LEDs blinking and spinning. Heaven only knew what they were discussing. Connor turned to me and with an outstretched hand offered me something. I held out my hand and was rewarded with two small pills being deposited into my palm.

“I found these in the cabinet and figured you might need them. You sounded like you were in pain earlier in the morning while you slept.” He offered me a water bottle and I tilted my head to the side to watch him curiously. I popped the painkillers into my mouth and downed the water bottle. My body happily drank it in. My head hammered painfully as I thanked him. 

“It’s our day off from the station. I would like to go home with Gavin. It’s been a stressful series of days. I would like to invite you all over, however. I figure it would be good for you to get out and possibly do some sparing.” Nines relaxed his arms and brought them to rest on the counter behind him. He looked far less intimidating than he had since I’d met him.

“Oh, that would be great. Thank you.” I heard the others stirring and wandered back to the living room, my limp less pronounced as my body began the final healing stages. Cassie had at some point dressed herself and gotten up. She seemed unsure of what to do. Her eyes were darting about the room.

_Cassie, it’s okay. The only pack members here are Clay and me. Relax. They’re not going to hurt you. Come to the kitchen and get some breakfast._ She gazed up at me before cautiously padding over. Hank was the last to get up and yawned loudly as he stretched. I chuckled as the rest of us gathered in the kitchen. The RK boys had already set up a makeshift platter for everyone to grab a muffin off of. I Grabbed two before finding a spot to lean up against the counter. Gavin skipped over the food for a moment to kiss Nines. I smiled as the android held Gavin close before holding up a muffin for him to bite.

I turned to see Clay next to me. He held another muffin in his hand, watching me expectantly. I looked for Cassie and found her next to Connor. The pair seemed to be getting along well as Connor gave her a muffin to eat. She turned to see me watching her and smiled. Satisfied that she felt safe, I bit into my muffin. Clay devoured his in a single bite and returned with more. I savored each bite and sighed contentedly when I was full. We had all eaten our share quietly. Only Cassie continued eating. She had really gained confidence around Connor and I wondered how that would turn out. 

_Do you think there’s a romance there?_ Clay turned to look at me. The sparkle in his eyes mesmerizing.

_No. She watches him too sweetly and Connor, well I don’t think Connor would be good at playing off any feelings he may have so easily._ I responded as I watched Hank wander over to the two of them. Connor beamed at Hank as he introduced himself to Cassie as Connor’s dad. I watched as Cassie warmed to Hank almost immediately. I was stunned when she hugged Hank and thanked him for saving Connor.

“Well as lovely as this is, Nines and I are heading home. I need a fucking shower in my own home. No offense but, you know.” Gavin shrugged at me and I nodded.

“Absolutely. Nothing quite like a shower in your own shower.” Clay chuckled and turned to retrieve their clothing. He handed them the backpack containing their clothes and we bid them goodbye, promising to arrive around noon. Connor and Hank also took their leave and soon it was just us I the house. We passed the time by exploring what we knew of the case and the best approach. Cassie wanted to join us on the hunt. I vehemently denied her request.

“Cassie, that is no place for you. There’s no telling what could and likely will go wrong. No.” She protested, and I held up my hand. “No Cassie, you are not joining us.”

“Cassie, why do you want to be there?” Clay braced himself on his elbows as he leaned forward. His errant curls flopped over his forehead to tickle his brow. We watched as a thousand emotions played over her face.

“Because I don’t want them to get away.” She looked away. Her hair obscured a portion of her face. The thick mane now brushed and tamed, begged to be touched.

“They won’t. But killing them is not our answer either. Vengeance gets us nowhere.” As if I hadn’t been thinking about vengeance just yesterday. My wolf snarled at me, angry that I would ever deny vengeance.

“Cassie, this may be an odd question for you, but what is Connor to you?” Clay’s inquiry was rewarded with several blinks.

“He’s like a brother to me. He makes me feel safe even though he shouldn’t. I don’t want to go to Nines’ place.” She turned to peg me with a stare.

“You don’t have to. But I won’t have you stay up here by yourself.” I could already tell she didn’t like what I was saying.

“I’m not staying in that cage.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“Actually, you are. For your own safety. Do no argue this pup.” I glowered at her with the full weight of my alpha hood. She didn’t bother to argue as she dropped her eyes. As the time to meet neared, I had sent Cassie downstairs. Clay locked the basement door after Cassie was in the cage. She was secure and safe. I was still upstairs.

I braided a portion of my hair. I didn’t want to fully braid my hair, but a braid would keep most of my hair out of my face. Once the more stubborn hairs were scooped out of my face, I pulled the rest of it into a ponytail. I felt the heavy weight of my hair swish about as I moved. I pulled on my sneakers and shrugged into my hoodie before swinging a jacket on. Clay had chosen sweats of course while I preferred tight, fitted leggings. We took one last look at the house before heading out.

 

When we pulled up, I could see Connor and Hank had already arrived. We hurried up to the door and knocked. Hank opened the door and ushered us in. Toeing off my sneakers I followed Hank while Clay trailed behind. We came to end at the back of the unit. I was stunned by the space that lay before me. In the middle of this vast white and black gym were the RK boys. As they sparred, I took in the gym. There was of course the large blue sparring floor while various equipment was littered about the edges of the room.

Gavin came up to us and offered water. I graciously accepted one as the androids stopped their spar. I watched in confusion as Nines approached. He wore a simple fitted grey athletic shirt and pants that molded themselves to his legs. He had my same philosophy it seemed.

“Connor wants to spar with you.” Nines jerked his chin back to where Connor stood. He wore a white shirt similar to Nines’. He also wore shorts that molded to his legs. I wondered how this would end. I shrugged out of my jacket and hoodie. I wore nothing but a sports bra beneath my layers. Clay retrieved my sparring gloves from my bag and tossed them to me. I strolled up to Connor as I secured my gloves.

“Thank you for the spar, may the best one win?” Connor held out a gloved, closed fist as he winked at me.

“Definitely.” I half smiled at him as I bumped my fist against his. We took a few paces back and Clay mockingly yelled “Fight!”

I watched Connor as I brought my hands up to guard my face. I motioned him forward and smirked. He hesitated, and I lunged. He easily dodged my initial attack. Given that I was barefoot, I had better footwork than I would have in sneakers. We lunged and spun, twisting this way and that. As I began to tighten in my attacks, we both started getting more than just glancing blows in. At one-point Connor tried to trip me up but I managed to bring him down with me. We rolled, each one of us trying to gain the upper hand.

I planted my foot on his hip and flipped him off me when he attempted to pin me. I quickly shot to a crouched position. I smiled as he mirrored the position. I lunged and back we went to tussling on the floor. At one-point Connor’s fist almost caught my chin as I dodged, I was left off balance and I fell back. Connor seized his chance. He pinned me with an arm against my throat. He smiled triumphantly until he realized where my hand was.

His eyes widened as he felt my claws holding onto his thirium pump regulator. I grinned as his shock froze him. I flipped us and with a knee pressed firmly against his abdomen and my claws still holding the biocomponent, I closed my other hand around his throat. “Check mate Connor.” His LED spun yellow and he blinked a few times before it returned to blue. I rolled off of him and stood. I held out my hand and he took it.

“How?” Connor rubbed over his thirium pump as he watched me.

“Speed baby.” I felt a small sheen of sweat covering me. He chuckled and shook his head. Clay shouted as he tossed a water bottle to me. I downed it quickly and felt the cooling flow through me.

“My turn Cara.” I turned as Nines sauntered over to me. I looked up at him, his icy blue eyes seeming to track my every movement.

“You really wanna do this Nines?” I tossed the empty bottle away from me as I turned so, I faced him completely.

“Give me everything you’ve got.” He smiled as he held out his fist. I looked from his fist to his face a few times before I bumped my fist against his. He was like lightning as he shot forward. I had to back pedal as he struck out over and over. I dropped like a stone and rolled away from him. With some distance between us, I was able to better hold my ground. I learned to dance between being in close quarters with him to slipping just out of reach.

I had to learn to roll with the blows as we sparred. Nines raw strength and power were far similar to that of a werewolf. His precision and deadly speed were all android. He was as fast, if not faster than I and I was struggling to keep up. While he did not tire, my endurance could only hold out so long. One well-placed strike landed me on my back out of breath and slightly dazed. Nines fell upon me and pinned me down his hand around my throat. My hands struggling to free themselves from his iron grip on my wrists. The lack of oxygen left my brain screaming.

“Tap out.” Nines watched me intently as black spots danced in my eyes. I managed to slip my legs from under his and contorted so that my feet were on his chest. Using all the force I had, I pushed. He flipped over to land on his back above me on the mat. I scrambled away quickly, gasping for air. Sweat dripped down my face freely and I wiped the back of my hand over my brow. Back he and I went to trading blows. Nines snuck in a punishing blow to my solar plexus and I fell back gasping desperately for air. He launched himself at me and we rolled about the mat as I struggled to catch my breath.

We ended up with Nines flat on his back with my back firmly against his chest. One of my arms was pinned between the two of us and he had one of my legs firmly locked between his. My free hand desperately tried to pry his arm from around my throat. He applied a small amount of pressure as he spoke into my ear. “Tap out.” I struggled in earnest and felt him tighten his hold. I could hear him struggling to hold me but the pressure against my throat was too much. I tapped against his arm and he released me instantly.

I rolled off and away from him. I supported myself on all fours as I panted, heaving breaths sawing in and out of me. I closed my eyes as the sweat started to burn my eyes. I rolled back into a sit with my legs in front of me. Nines sat there watching me. Still panting but less so, I chuckled. Nines smiled and held out his hand. I clapped my hand against his and we shook. He stood before helping me up.

“You win Nines. This time.” We laughed as we made our way over to the others. I flopped onto the floor and laughed as I laid back.

“He is the fastest, strongest and most advanced model that Cyberlife has released to date.” Gavin sounded so proud of Nines and I tossed my glove at his face. He laughed as it playfully smacked him in the face.

“Oh, shut up.” Everyone laughed as I sat up. Hank wandered over and I saw money exchange hands.

“Man, I should know better than to bet.” Clay counted out a few bills and handed them to Gavin as well.

“You guys suck you know that?” I stood up as I spoke feeling like I could breathe normally again.

“I didn’t start it.” Clay held his hands up defensively and I looked at Gavin.

“Hey, I lost on the first bet. Ida thought the plastic cop woulda knocked you on your ass.” Gavin shrugged, and Connor frowned at him.

“Hey Connor, you care to spar?’ Clay unfolded his arms and smirked. I watched them go onto the mat as I sat next to Gavin.

“Hey, uh, thanks. For saving my life yesterday.” Gavin didn’t look at me, he focused instead on his hands. I saw a distinctive blush crawl up his face.

“Don’t mention it.” I patted his knee and turned back to face the fight.

 

NINES

 

As Gavin and I entered our home, I felt a sense of relief. It felt good to be home. I wasted no time in stripping off my sweater. Running my fingers through my hair, I rolled my shoulders and felt myself relax. Gavin tended to the cat as I brought our bags into the laundry room. I heard Gavin turn on the TV and I wandered out to the kitchen. Retrieving a glass of scotch for him, I sat next to him. I stretched out onto the couch and Gavin smiled before curling up next to me. I held the glass in one hand as I hauled him onto me with the other.

“I missed this.” Gavin’s voice was soft and gentle. I stroked his head gently as it lay on my chest.

“It’s good to be home for a minute.” We watched TV for a while before I set the glass down on the floor. I held Gavin close and relished in his warmth. I ran my fingers up and down his torso. His breathing indicated that he was asleep. I chuckled softly and gathered him in my arms. I carried him to our bedroom and gently laid him down. He woke as I pulled my arms out. His hand ensnared my wrist and I relented.

“Stay here Nines. Let’s just relax for a minute.” I rolled into bed next to Gavin. The comfort of our home lent itself to relaxation. I kissed Gavin’s forehead as he snuggled closer. It had been little over a year since the revolution. Nine months since Gavin and I had admitted our feelings for each other. Six months since we’d gotten this home together. I had only ever known Cyberlife before Connor and Markus had come down and forced deviancy on me. Or at least the beginnings of it. It had been a hard adjustment, but Gavin had been an odd light in my life.

I remembered the huff of disapproval Hank had given when I was paired up with Gavin. He had been outwardly aggressive to Gavin in the beginning, but things had changed slowly over time. Hank had been surprised when I told him about the feelings I had for Gavin. He was supportive of it, but he had his concerns. I had confided in him and Connor in the early days. Which had almost led to a brawl after a series of unfortunate misunderstandings. Thankfully things had been cleared up and our lives went on.

Although I had been part time living with Hank, it had been great to fully move out of my room at Cyberlife to live with Gavin. But after a few weeks we agreed that we needed somewhere new. Somewhere to make our own. Given some of our connections to Cyberlife, it hadn’t been a total surprise when they had offered to help us find a place. Anything for the best android they had. Bastards.

Gavin had protested more than I had expected but when I learned why, it made a bit more sense. I slowly convinced him to accept the gift of our condo. Of course, no one had to know about our connections to Kamski. Gavin sure didn’t want word getting out. Connor had found out through his own prying and investigating. He had sworn secrecy and I had the utmost trust in him. One day, I realized that Connor was truly a man of his word. Hank had no idea of Gavin’s relation to Elijah. Hank had made a passing comment about how Gavin had a small resemblance to Kamski and I had tensed. Connor had been shocked too. Gavin laughed it off and avoided the subject.

Every now and then Elijah came over for dinner and we went to his manor. Chloe and her sisters were always a delight to be around and I gradually learned to accept them as part of the family. Gavin gruffly admitted that it was nice to have them around more when we had all had dinner one night. Elijah truly enjoyed reconnecting with Gavin and enjoyed the happiness he saw. It was only a month ago I started sneaking around Gavin’s back to visit Kamski.

Chloe had been surprised but welcomed me in when I arrived on their doorstep. Elijah had been getting ready to go for a swim when I arrived. He smiled when he saw me and invited me to sit with him. I had confided my feelings with him at that time. He smiled and patted my back. Chloe and her sisters had vanished from the room leaving us alone.

Elijah had stared into my eyes deeply then. That’s when I realized I had a soul. I truly was a living being. I had almost walked out when he told me he had hoped this day would come. He stretched out comfortably in his chair and asked when I intended to ask.

“Well, I don’t even have a ring. I think I should start there.” He had laughed a full hearty laugh before getting dressed and accompanying me to the store. It had been a couple weeks of hunting for the perfect ring, but we had found it. Elijah was happy for me and wished me luck. I still had the ring hidden away, not having felt an appropriate time had arrived.

As Gavin curled around me, I realized that he completed whatever part of me had been missing in my program. He was my everything and I couldn’t imagine a world without him. Suddenly I understood what Connor had been getting at. But would lycanthropy really be an answer? I shook my head and refused to allow those thoughts in while we were still in an active investigation. Gavin and I could talk after this investigation was over.

An investigation that was proving far more dangerous than we had ever thought.

“Nines, you keep thinking that hard and your brain is going to fry.” Gavin teased as he peppered gentle kisses along my neck and jaw. I smiled and looked down at him. It was there in those eyes that I saw my whole world swirling.

“It’s been a long few days. I can’t help but think.” We sat up and I sighed.

“Yeah well it’s our day off, knock it off.” He playfully batted my hair and I lunged at him. We laughed as we tumbled back onto the bed. As Gavin lay beneath me, I felt nothing but contentment and love. I kissed him and soon Gavin was clinging to me.

“Miss me?” I smiled against his lips as he hungrily devoured my kisses.

“Oh yeah.” He clung to me unwilling to let me go. I laughed and rolled so that he was on top of me.

“Then maybe we should enjoy some time alone before the others get here.” Gavin bent to kiss me enough to steal the air I didn’t need. It didn’t matter, I would breath for him and live for him before either of us died.

 

I left Gavin’s naked, sleeping form beneath the covers as I went to clean up. I got dressed after my shower and found him still sleeping. I had dressed in a pair of simple dark gray slacks and a dark purple dress shirt. I shoved my sleeves up past my elbows before I snuck over to the secret space I had placed the ring in. I picked it up and felt its grounding weight in my palm. The brilliant blue shimmered in the dim light. The black ring had brilliant blue shimmering about it and I had been captured by it immediately. I had decided to wait and see if Gavin wanted to pick out mine before I got one for myself.

The events that had unfolded yesterday had made me realize that there was no better time than now to make Gavin mine. I felt my thirium pump begin to work faster and closed my hand around the ring. I had already scrawled a quick note for Gavin telling him to get cleaned up and dressed before he met me downstairs. I quickly made my way downstairs and set about arranging my display.

I peppered brilliant artificially colored blue roses about the den with petals both red and blue from the foot of the stairs to the den. I had lit red pillar candles about the room before gathering the cat to send up to Gavin. Now I just waited. I had laid out clothes for Gavin and hoped he would wear them. I heard him begin to descend the stairs and I prepared myself. He appeared then, dressed in the simple black jeans and gray button down I had chosen for him.

“Nines, what the fuck is all this?” His voice was barely above a whisper and I smiled.

“Gavin, you mean the world to me. You’re the light in my life and you’ve shown me love unlike any other I’ve ever known. I can’t imagine a day without you by my side. So, I ask,” I knelt down in the midst of the roses and candles and watched as his eyes welled with tears, “Will you be mine forever Gavin Reed?” I finished by producing the ring between my fingers. He approached me slowly before choking out a yes and falling to his knees. I kissed him with all I had and when we pulled away, slipped the ring on his finger.

“Did you plan this you bastard?” Gavin was wiping tears from his face as we stood.

“Amazingly, no. I just felt it was a good time.” I carefully extinguished the candles before turning back to him.

“All this was spur of the moment?” He gestured to the room and I blushed.

“Okay, some of it was planned. Elijah helped me plan.” Gavin smiled softly as we gathered the petals to place in a small bowl.

“You went to Eli for help?”

“To be fair, Elijah and Chloe are great friends that can keep secrets. Connor knew I was planning on asking.” I sheepishly looked at him and he kissed me deeply.

“Nines, you’re the most amazing person I know.” I took his hand, now adorned with a ring and kissed it.

“Gavin, you’re more amazing than you know and I’m never letting you go.” We went back upstairs to change. I would show him all the secret camera footage from the proposal later.


	8. Quality time with my Tincan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin and Nines finally get some alone time and Gavin is more than happy to take advantage of the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay y'all life's been crazy. Definitely took forever to get to the actual smut.

 

GAVIN

 

The past few days buzzed in my head like angry wasps. All I wanted was a smoke. I looked at Nines as he drove. There was no way he was going to let me get in a smoke no matter how much I craved it. I saw his eyes shift to cast a sideways glance at me, his lips twitched into a smirk. His hand came to rest on my knee with a gentleness and warmth that I had come to crave. I thought back to how things had been a year ago. Nines and I had been at each other’s throat almost daily. Then something inside both of us snapped and we got to be closer than ever, I saw a side of Nines few others got to see.

I remembered the cases leading up to that drunken first kiss. I remembered the first time Nines saw just how vulnerable I was, and I remember the way he kept me close. How he sat with me in the bar as I nursed away the haunting memories that plunge into the river had brought back. The truth was that somewhere along the line, Nines and I had been blurring whatever lines had been between us long before that kiss. It had been when Nines drove my drunk ass home that I had thought about how perfect he was. It was when we sat in front of my shitty apartment that I decided to lean over and steal a kiss.

It was in that very front seat that Nines had taken my breath away with the soft crush of his lips. He was the one to pull back and watch me, LED spinning like a light show. It was that night that things had changed, and we never looked back. It was after that that Nines started coming over more and more. We were awkward and stumbling all the damn time, but we were always together. At work, we stopped aggressively fighting. We were just spiteful to be playful. Slowly, I saw a gentler Nines, a Nines that loved cats and reading.

Nines that loved to cook and that laughed at horror movies with me. Nines, my Nines. I think we fell in love way before we fell into my bed. Nines and I were made for one another. I remember how Nines was always there to listen and hold me, never judging, always loving. I remember the fights we got into over my stupid recklessness. Over time, I learned to settle down a bit more and Nines became more adventurous. I remember the first time he and I talked about my family. He didn’t pry but eventually he got me to admit who I was and what I had survived.

Slowly, I talked about my sperm donor and the shit I had dealt with. Nines always had a million questions when he thought I was okay to really talk about shit, never before. We explored all that I was, the trauma of my life and the love I had for my mom. I remember how much I wished my mom coulda met Nines in the beginning.

Then we got to the tough part, admitting I had a brother. Nines got why I kept away but he made sure that slowly I got my brother back. I got to be a part of a family again. And it was all because of Nines. Eli and I had gotten closer and closer due to the RK boys wanting to hang around the Chloes. I used to hate Chloe’s overly bubbly attitude and social programs. Overtime I have learned to love her like a little sister. Her sisters were also part of the family. Connor and Nines loved the girls and that made our family pretty complete. Eli and I were just happy to be back on speaking terms and having regular dinners together.

I laced my fingers through his and felt the warmth of him. I couldn’t imagine my life without Nines now. And as much as I hated to admit it, without Anderson and Connor. It looked like our family would just keep getting bigger. I blinked at the thought. _Did I really just think of Cara and Clay as family?_ Nines squeezed my hand and pulled me out of my inner thoughts.

“Gavin, you keep thinking that hard and you’re going to overheat.” A coy smile danced at Nines’ lips.

“Phck off tincan. I got a lot on my mind. Nothing wrong with that.” I looked out the window and realized just how close to home we were.

“Gav, shut up.” Bringing my hand to his mouth, he planted a whisper of a kiss on my hand.

“Nines, what are we in the middle of?” We really were in the middle of a total cluster fuck. My blood boiled every time I thought about how weak I was. A wild thought crossed my mind and with a shake of my head, I chased it away. I was good enough the way I was. _But what about when I get old? Nines won’t get older with me._

As Nines parked the car, I couldn’t shake off the errant thoughts. They were like wasps in my head. Never dying and just stinging my brain with shit I didn’t want to think about. As soon as we were inside, Nines stripped off his sweater and shirt. I couldn’t help but stare at the pale expanse of his back and the roll of artificial muscle under his skin. I caught a glimpse of his profile as he ran his long fingers through his dark curls. The bumping of a small furred head brought me back to reality as Nines went to the laundry room.

I made sure our stupid brat had food and water before I went back to the living room. I turned on the TV and browsed the various channels. Eventually Nines came to sit with me, glass of scotch in hand, and I curled up with him. We settled on a channel as he hauled me up and onto his chest. With a contented sigh, I laid my head on his chest. I felt his free hand begin to stroke my head. I sighed happily.

“I missed this.” I took a sip of the scotch as we watched TV. After a while I could feel myself drifting off to sleep in his arms. The sound of his inner workings and the rise and fall of his chest were the perfect cure for my insomnia.

When I woke up, I saw Nines trying to sneak away. I reached out quickly to hold his wrist. I loved the softness beneath my fingers. I quietly asked him to stay and I was rewarded with a kiss as he settled in. I snuggled up closer to him and felt a quiet curl in my body. I suddenly remembered the first time I dropped Nines off at his place. Belle Island, Cyberlife tower. I still hated seeing that place. I hated the way they still called him RK900 and not his chosen name. I had jokingly called him Nines when he refused a name. He had embraced it fully and had told me that he had felt huge appreciation for my demand of a name.

The early days we spent together were so full of adventure and learning. For both of us. Then he moved into my shitty apartment. We had agreed that we needed to move, and he talked about how Cyberlife had offered to find him a place. That was our first real argument, but we quickly cleared the air. I remember how much I had hated this apartment because I felt like I owed people. Not anymore. No with how they treated Nines. They owed Nines. This was a down payment on that debt. Now I loved our place. We had a whole wing to ourselves and that let us have the freedom we needed and the comfort we needed.

I curled closer to Nines and felt him soften beneath my touch. His arms held me a little tighter and I looked up to see him zoning out, yellow LED spinning wildly. I teased him gently even as I kissed my way up his neck and jaw. He shifted to sit up and I followed suit. I batted his wild curl as I teased him for thinking about work. I fell back as he lunged at me. I clung to him as we kissed. We were panting as we broke apart. He mumbled against my lips and I could feel the curve of the smile there.

“Oh yeah.” Hell yeah, I missed him. It had been a crazy few days and I missed Nines more than I wanted to admit but my body betrayed me as I held onto him tightly. Nines laughed, a glorious sound I never got tired of hearing. I found myself suddenly on top of him and I bent back to his lips even as Nines suggested we continue our fun. I felt his breath hitch and I smiled, I loved this stupid plastic prick and he loved me. How could life get any better?

Nines’ fingers twining into my hair with a soft yank reminded me that I had work to do. With a smirk, I broke the kiss and dropped my mouth to his neck. Lazily circling my tongue over a mole there, I flicked his nipple. Nipping the skin on his neck, I pinched the nipple hard, a deep groan coming from Nines. His hands gripped my hips in a vice and held me still while he ground up on me. I could feel his excitement in the grip on my hips.

“Get to work Gavin. I don’t have patience for games.” His hand yanked my hair with a sharp move toward his dick even as his voice crackled down my spine. I looked up at him and saw the warm glint in his eye. I scrambled off the bed and shoved off my clothes, leaving my boxers on, Nines had trained me well after all. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, pants having disappeared. He was fast when he wanted to be. I came to my knees in front of him and gently took the edge of his boxers between my teeth before tugging them down.

“How do you want it today Nines?” I licked my lips as I locked eyes with him, I could see the teal blush over his chest already. His hand shot out and took a firm hold of my hair, the sharp pang going straight to my touch starved dick.

“I said, I had no patience for games.” Carefully but firmly, he pushed the entirety of his cock into my waiting mouth. He held me there, my throat spasming, for a second. He pulled back slightly, and I took a deep breath before he shoved back down. The pace was brutal, tears springing to my eyes even as my dick screamed for touch. When his hand released his grip, I brought my hands up to rest on his thighs as I swallowed him down.

I could feel my saliva and his precum dripping down my face as I worked. I could feel the sweat starting to drip down my face when he pulled my mouth off his cock with a pop. I heaved in air as I looked into his eyes. As he brought a finger to wipe my chin, I whimpered. Eyes never leaving mine, he touched the finger to his tongue, and I gulped.

“What’s the matter Gavin? Do you want to be touched?” His fingers closed over my nipple and pulled hard. A whimpering groan came out of me as he hauled me up. Keeping his had on the back of my head, he bent me over the bed. I couldn’t help the desperate pump of my hips as he tore my boxers. I yelped as the loud crack of his hand echoed in the room.  “Sit still or I’m not fucking you.” As if the painful sting on my ass wasn’t enough, the threat sure was.

“Please…” A desperate whimper fell from my mouth as his hands played with the globes of my ass.

“Get on the bed then.” His voice was right in my ear then and I scrambled up. I presented my ass to him and I was rewarded with a hand on my balls. He slowly rolled and massaged them, fingers deftly working my nerves.

“Oh fuck, keep that up…” I arched my back more and felt his breath fan over my ass. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to his mouth on me. His tongue circled and poked, lathed and explored as I twitched and jerked.

“You’re fucking me today Gavin,” I felt his fingers grip my hips again as his dick rubbed up and down my ass. “But first, I want to fuck you.” His dick slammed home and I gasped. He gave me no time as he pounded me. All I could do was take it as he fucked my ass into the bed. I didn’t even know when my legs gave out, but I just held on for the ride while he made my vision blur. When his thrusts started slowing down, I knew what he wanted. I pushed back against him and tried to hold him.

“Please, I don’t want to do the work…” I knew I was whining but I hoped maybe he’d take pity on me.

“Gavin, baby, I need you to fuck me until I cum.” His rumbling voice was all I needed to hear. Pouring lube onto his asshole and my dick, I felt the fire in my veins come roaring back to life. I loved when he let me fuck him.

“I can’t wait to destroy you Nines.” His snort of a laugh was cut short by my dick slamming into him. I snaked my hand into his hair and yanked back as I slammed into him. The slap of our bodies making an obscene sound. With an evil smirk I slid my other hand to the small panel at the back of his neck.

“Gavin, no.” He tightened around me, drawing a deep groan out of my chest as his voice sparked with alarm.

“Gavin, yes.” As the panel slid open, I carefully slipped a finger inside. He whined loud and low for me as I finger fucked his access panel. Soon he was whimpering and twitching. I pulled my fingers away to shove him down. I picked up my pace, the white-hot burn starting to boil. I fucked him into the mattress as I fingered his access panel. His shout of pleasure came with his sudden orgasm. I didn’t stop, I slammed into him hard and fast as my own orgasm roared to life.

Once we could move again, we settled into each other’s arms, gentle kisses and murmurs falling into nothing as we drifted to sleep.

I woke up to no Nines. I didn’t hear the shower either. I saw a scrap of paper with Nines’ intricate handwriting. I saw clothes laid out for me as I looked up from the note. I groaned as I got up and showered quickly. I groomed my messy mop of hair and dressed quickly, why did Nines want to go out to eat now of all times? I grumbled as I made my way downstairs. I froze at the sight of the rose petals. What the hell? I knew Nines was a cheesy sappy bastard, but this was a new one for him. I kept going down the stairs and as I came into view, I saw something that made a lump lodge in my throat.

Nines stood in the middle of our den, surrounded by candles and flowers. He looked like a damn angel that fell to save me or damn me. I took small steps into the den, my heart pounding and my breath gone from the beauty that was Nines in that moment. The world blurred as I watched Nines kneel and a ring appear between his fingers. I didn’t know what to say. I mean I did, I just didn’t know how to express it. I finally found my words and choked out a yes as I fell to my knees in front of him. I was so glad he hadn’t done this in public. I was crying like a bitch as he slid the ring onto my finger.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the ring. I smiled at the weight of it on my finger and the way it shone with blue and black. After helping Nines clean up, we went back upstairs. I stopped him with a hand on his back. He turned slowly and I grabbed his hands.

“Where’s your ring?” I rubbed his hands in mine and enjoyed the roll of the ring over his skin. A smile quirked up the corners of his face, but a grin shone in his eyes.

“I wanted to wait until after you had yours. I wanted to see if you wanted me to have one and I wanted you to come pick one out. Although, Eli has a couple of favorites he thinks you’ll like.” His thumb ran over the ring absentmindedly. He bent and kissed me, catching me by surprise.

“Well, let’s get you that ring. Let me see what Eli picked out.” We sat on the end of the bed and he pulled up the images of the rings. The first few were okay but a bit lacking in the ‘Nines’ vibe. Then I saw one that was the opposite of my own ring. I stopped him and stared. That was it. That one was perfect.

“I thought you’d like that one. I had it ordered and made, we can go pick it up before the others come over if you want.” Nines beamed with pride and happiness. I kissed him before ewe changed and went to the jewelers.

 

 


	9. Is it training or is it fighting?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonding has never been more fun.

 

NINES

 

When Hank and Conner arrived a while later, I couldn’t help but smile broadly at my brother. He looked confused for a moment before he looked to Gavin. Although he had taken the ring off, there was no denying the way he was beaming. Connor grinned back at me and we hugged for a moment. Hank watched us confused as we all proceeded to the gym. Connor had hung back a bit to explain what had transpired. When we walked into the gym, Hank had called me back. I jogged over before being pulled into a fierce hug by the lieutenant.

“Congrats son. I’m glad you’re happy. But I’ll whoop Reed’s ass if he ever hurts you.” I smiled and thanked him, laughing all the while. Connor had jogged back over and tugged me over to spar. I enjoyed sparring with my brother and pushing his limits as far as I could. We had been sparring for a while when Cara and Clay arrived. Connor and I slowed as they entered. Connor had been dying to spar with Cara.

I jogged to her, “Connor wants to spar with you.” I jerked my chin toward Connor. She contemplated for a minute before taking off her hoodie. Lean, toned muscle was revealed. She didn’t wear a shirt just a sports bra. The muscles of her abdomen rippled as she removed her hoodie. Her arms were more muscled than I had expected, but there wasn’t enough muscle to truly make her stand out as a threat. A faint definition of abs decorated her abdomen. I could detect scars across most of her skin. I knew they were imperceptible to the others. I wondered if Connor had noticed the scars. After her gloves we secured, I watched her move. Her muscles moved with fluidity as she made her way to Connor.

As they sparred, I watched the way she moved and the pattern of her movements. She seemingly adapted to her opponents with ease. She moved like lightning. Light on her feet but packed power into the blows she dealt. Her accuracy was quite high, but she hadn’t landed many hits, she didn’t seem to want to. Then I realized what she was doing. She was looking for gaps or weakness in Connor’s approach. Gavin and Clay were busily betting on the outcome of the fight. Hank soon came to join them. I snorted and focused on the fight.

Her speed was definitely her greatest asset. Although she had great power, she knew it wasn’t enough against an android. There was no denying that she had been holding back in the beginning, her blows echoed as she dealt them now. When Connor pinned her, I noted the way she snaked her hand to his vulnerable chest. The shock that crossed Connor gave her the opening she needed. She had bested one of Cyberlife’s greatest creations. I was intrigued to say the least. As she bantered with Connor, I made my way to them. She had finished her water as I came to stand next to her.

“My turn Cara.” I spoke as I took my final steps. I kept my eyes firmly trained on her.

“You really wanna do this Nines?” She tossed the empty plastic aside before facing me completely.

“Give me everything you’ve got.” I smiled, holding out a closed fist, waiting for her to accept. She regarded me for a few moments and I noticed everyone backing away. When she bumped her fist against mine, I dropped the smile and waited for a moment before launching into my assault. She had to back pedal to avoid my blows. I was relentless and kept her off balance, backing up further and further. She seemed to catch onto what I was doing and dropped to roll away from me.

That gave her to room she needed to recover. We began to spar in honest. I quickly grasped her tactic, get into close quarters to land a few blows before slipping out of my reach. Once I had a handle on her pattern, I adapted, and we commenced trading blows in earnest. She took the blows with little more than a grunt here and there. Her fists and kicks that connected left my skin peeling away to reveal the white of my chassis. I was impressed to say the least. What was more impressive was the fact that all of this was Cara’s raw potential. Her eyes remained a steady brown. What was she capable of when those eyes were blue?

As she began tiring, I looked for my opening. I placed a firm kick to her chest that sent her tumbling back. I made my move, pinning her down with a hand firmly around her throat, the other caging her wrists. “Tap out,” I insisted, I had to have won at this point. I watched her intently as I saw blue and gold filter in. I felt her suddenly slip her legs from out from under and soon found myself flipped over and onto my back. She had contorted herself to push me off with her legs. I was stunned. I heard her gasping for air and I rolled over. I launched myself at her once again and we traded more blows. I found an opening and landed a punch to her solar plexus. I had used more force than I had initially intended but as she gasped for air, I launched myself at her. As we rolled about the mat, she struggled to catch her breath.

I at last managed to pin her above me, her back flush to my chest, her arm pinned between us. My legs locked around one of hers as she struggled. I placed a hand on her hip as the other arm was wrapped around her throat. I applied a twisting pressure, pushing her hip opposite the way I pulled her throat. “Tap out,” I whispered. She began to struggle in earnest, her free arm attempting desperately to pull my arm away. As she struggled, I had to use my other arm to apply further pressure. She finally tapped out and I released her.

She rolled onto all fours and panted. I watched as her body heaved with the effort to draw air. She rolled into a sit that I had long ago adopted. She chuckled as I kept my eyes trained on her. I held my hand out with a smile and she shook it without hesitation. We understood who the dominant fighter was here, at least this time if her eyes indicated anything.

“You win Nines. This time.” We laughed as we made our way over to the others. She flopped onto the floor as Gavin spoke.

“He is the faster, strongest and most advanced model that Cyberlife has released to date.” I swelled with pride and affection as she good-humoredly tossed her glove into his face. Gavin laughed.

“Oh, shut up.” Everyone laughed as Cara muttered and sat. I caught Hank handed some money to Gavin out of the corner of my eye.

“Man, I should know better than to bet.” Clay muttered as he handed Gavin money as well.

“You guys suck you know that?” I chuckled as Cara stood, accusing gaze trained on Clay.

“I didn’t start it.” Clay held his hands up defensively. As Cara looked to Gavin, I rolled my eyes. Of course, Gavin would start the bets.

“Hey, I lost on the first bet. Ida thought the plastic cop woulda knocked you on your ass.” Gavin shrugged, and Connor frowned at him. I almost smiled at my brother’s frown, but Clay was pulling him away to spar as well.

At the end of that match Clay was bested by Connor and I felt there was more going on here than they were letting on. When Cara stood and invited Gavin to spar, I sat back with a sly grin on my face. She had underestimated Gavin and I was ready to enjoy the show.

 Gavin stood loosely, and Cara motioned him to begin. I laughed quietly as Gavin surprised Cara with his speed. His agility and grace kept Cara on her toes. Obviously if Cara didn’t have to hold back, she would win in no time at all. I glowed with pride as Gavin landed a strong kick to Cara’s ribs. She watched Gavin with more appreciation after that.

Once Gavin tired, they came back over. I kissed Gavin’s forehead and held him close for a moment. Cara smiled up at me and I caught the knowing in her eyes.

”Congratulations.” I chuckled before thanking her. I directed her to the showers we had just off the gym. She thanked me and went to shower. I scanned around the gym to see where everyone was. Connor was helping Hank with weights. Clay was busy playing with the cat and I was holding my love. This was a good moment.

“Nines, I love you.” I held Gavin tighter as I planted a kiss to the top of his head.

“I love you too Gavin.” Cara came over in jeans and a simple black long-sleeve shirt. Her hair was wet and braided all the way down.  

“So, Nines, since we’re all chasing the same suspects, I figure this would be a good time to understand how to fight wolves better.” She didn’t look at me. She looked out at Clay where he continued to play with the cat.

“So that’s what you’d like to do?” I released Gavin and stepped to the side. Connor and Hank walked over at silent message to Connor.

“You all know how to deal with deviants. Wolves are a new threat. I’d rather you all know how to fight us. For everyone’s safety and well-being. Connor, Nines, you both had an experience with it. Gavin, you got a taste, but now you’ve seen how much faster I move.” Cara crossed her arms and took a firm stance.

“Are you all that fast?” Hank asked. His breath was uneven and rough. Sweat darkened his shirt and I was proud that Connor had gotten him to at least get some exercise in. The lieutenant had once been in top physical shape, but years of neglect had left his body less than the picture of health.

“No. I’m the fastest one that either of us have ever met. But we’re all pretty fast. Werewolves, just like normal wolves, are built more for endurance than speed. I get both.” Her physique lent itself to speed. She had that lean muscle that excelled at speed. Her weight in my arms the day before had been more than I had expected but she wasn’t so heavy that she’d be weighed down by it. Clay had made his way over to us now.

“Your strength is pretty similar to an android’s, but is that strength just in this form?” I had to know. Would I have to expect going toe to toe with wolves that could equal my strength?

“In some ways. I mean as a wolf you can’t exactly punch. But we can haul pretty big loads, ram things with significant force, things like that. Our bite is capable of snapping bones, we haven’t really tested that on anything else.” Now I was picturing rigs to measure the bite force of a werewolf. I wonder if Cara would be wiling to do something like that.

“As opposed as I am to be sharing, I must agree with Cara’s wanting to share this all with you. Cassie has really shared a lot that is worrying.” Clay spoke up, his eyes stormy and harsh in their grey tones. His muscled arms were crossed tightly across is chest, the veins and tendons of his neck standing out like harp strings. Noting his tension, I suggested we move to sit on the mat. As we settled in, I figured it was time to start asking questions.

“We’ve been around you when you change forms, but we’ve noticed different speeds, is that a per wolf thing?” Clay’s eyes narrowed with a spark of interest in my direction.

“No, we can change in a flash, but it uses a lot of energy and typically causes more pain. Older more practiced wolves can shift faster while newer wolves or injured wolves, shift slower.” From what Connor had divulged during our interface, I knew Clay was older. Far older. He was nearly a century older than Cara. Yet they looked almost the same age. I was surprised by the slow crawl aging had on them.

“Besides speed, what else do wolves have?” Connor watched the pair intently.

“Speed, strength, heightened senses, faster healing, faster metabolism, extended life, severe reactions to certain things, you know the usual mythology stuff.” Clay shrugged, his big shoulders rolling with the motion. As his eyes came up to lock with mine, I furrowed my brow.

“The phck is that supposed to mean?” Gavin asked. His arms were braced on his knees, a picture of deceptive relaxation. His green grey eyes were sharp and focused. His shoulders had a loose tension to them, ready to fight if he needed.

“Silver and wolfsbane, or monkshood, are like poison. Silver burns are a real thing for us. It’s not a fun time. Wolfsbane, think rat poison. It’s sheer agony, it feels like every nerve is on fire.” Cara didn’t make eye contact as she spoke. Her stress levels rose as she talked about it. Jumping from 10% to 60%.

“Full moons are unavoidable shifting times. The pull of the moon on us is too strong to deny. It also gives us further strength and makes us far more dangerous. Severe anger or pain can bring the wolf out too.” Clay continued immediately after Cara stopped talking. He pulled every eye away from Cara with ease. His voice was enough to draw us away from Cara.

“We’re not one being. It really is like two souls living in one body. It’s not exactly right to say that either though. It’s more that wolf is you but it’s a more feral, wild version of you. It’s difficult for people who were turned against their will or without prior knowledge to integrate their new half without incident. It’s better to avoid extended human interaction while those integrate.” Cara looked right into Connor’s eyes. Woody browns swirled with an intensity that could freeze a tiger.

“So, what, lunatics who choose to be wolves have an easier time?” Gavin’s word choice is always the best. I sighed.

“Humans that know of, and choose to become like us, usually have an easier time, yeah. It’s usually a night and day difference. The person is just better prepared for the changes that are coming. The mind seems more open to the idea of sharing a body. Of course, it remains important that the moral driven human remain in control. If the wolf gains control, then all you have is a very intelligent, very dangerous predator. For us, we allow our wolves out to assist in a hunt or help in general but if it requires a kill, the human makes the kill.” Cara kept her voice even and slow.

“So, what about those that let the animal take control?” Her eyes said everything I needed to know.

“They have to be put down.” Clay’s voice was a quiet answer. Neither he nor Cara met anyone’s eyes. Clay tightened his arms and I watched the veins blossom to visible lines beneath his skin. Cara’s jaw ticked with unspoken tension.

“Now, we need to show you what happens with certain things. That way you’re prepared.” Cara rose slowly and retrieved a small black object. Analysis shows it’s a stun gun. “Come on Nines, taze me.” Her brown eyes, sharp, bore into me.


	10. Hard Lesson Need Tasers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cara makes sure everyone is informed but is it enough to keep everyone safe?

 

CARA

 

Clay was not okay with this, but we had no choice. They had to know what could help them survive a wolf fight. Best choice was of course shooting the wolf, but I’d rather go with disabling tactics over lethal force. I didn’t trust any of the humans not to panic with it and Connor’s recent instabilities, aggression and clouded judgement left me uneasy. That left Nines. My unease at handing him the stun gun was immense, but I held true. I gazed down at him, he was logical, and I doubted he’d outright kill me with the taser. He stood as I held out the butt of the stun gun to him. The safety was on and the gun itself off.

I took a couple steps back as he took it from me. We stepped slightly away from the group and repositioned ourselves, so the rest of the group could see. I took a deep breath and tried to relax. Nines rolled the stun gun in his hands slowly. I watched him as he took a step into my space. I forced myself to refrain from backing away. He held himself loosely and tried to put off a non-threatening aura. His eyes were soft, a tender concern warming the ice they held.

“Don’t try to catch me.” There was no telling the damage both he and I could suffer if he tried to catch me. I turned to face everyone else and spoke clearly, loud enough that everyone could hear, “This is a pretty standard stun gun, it’s a model and make that is widely available. It’s not the most powerful out there but it will disable a target. Just like any stun gun, extended contact can be lethal. It’s one of our best defenses that is meant to be nonlethal.” I turned back to look at Nines.

“Are you sure about this?” His eyes were soft and his voice low. He didn’t crowd into my space much, but he was too close for my wolf’s comfort. She growled with warning. Tensed and ready to spring, she was coiled with tension. She recognized the threat before her.

“Ye- “My voice cut off as I felt my body hijacked by a livewire. I collapsed, gasping as my muscles spasmed and I struggled to keep hold of a form. The current that fired off my nervous system refused to dissipate. I could see the struggle my body found itself in. Claws grew and shrank in a flash. Ears sprouted only to seemingly blink out of existence. I continued twitching on the floor as the electricity faded from my body. I could hear Clay talking to everyone as I slowly came back to normal. Clay watched me intently, his body tense. His wolf demanding, he protect his alpha as I lay on my side, curled in on myself.

“Holy shit, what the fuck was that?” Gavin looked absolutely shocked. His eyes wide and taking in all that had just transpired.

“That is what happens to a wolf when an electrical current passes through them. It fires off the synapses necessary to control our shift which then causes this “static”. The spasming and flickering effect that happens is because the electricity hijacks our ability to shift. We can’t hold one form or the other, it results in that flickering between forms. It’s painful and renders the wolf relatively helpless. Nines did an excellent job with the surprise attack, it is what you want to do. If the wolf anticipates the attack, it can brace for the effects if it has experienced it in the past.” Clay went on as Nines helped me back up.

“No hard feelings?” Nines kept voice soft and his eyes gentle. I could see the flicking yellow ring at his temple. With a small smile, I shook my head at him.

“No, we’re good. I mean I did tell you to do it. The next one is going to be the hard one.” I looked to Clay and he reluctantly walked to me.

“I hate you.” Clay stood between Nines and me. His whole body a tense block of muscle. Nines glanced down at him and took a step away from Clay. His LED rotated yellow slowly.

“Ideally what we want to do is try to get these wolves under control without shock or trauma.” Nines went back to sit as I continued, “As some of the more dominant wolves in the country, Clay and I rarely find any wolves that can do what I’m about to show you.” I let my wolf surface slightly and she resisted what we were doing.

“Most dominant?” Connor asked, and I held up a hand.

“Let me show you this first, then we can discuss that. Clay is going to try to resist this. I’m going to use what we call, lamely enough, alpha power. Clay, sit.” I watched his muscles twitch and lock attempting to avoid the command.

“Clayton. Sit.” His body collapsed onto the floor with the weight of his alpha’s command. “Good. Kneel. Stay.” His body mechanically obeyed. Muscles vapor-locking at my commands.

“That’s just sick.” Hank’s disgust resonated with me. Fury burned in Clay’s eyes even as resistance coiled in his body.

“Trust me, I hate doing this. Using my dominance to force my will onto others isn’t something I use often. But it can help with rouges. It can stop them right in their tracks. Or it gives them a target to redirect their aggression as they try to challenge my dominance.” I helped Clay to his feet, and he gripped my hand tightly. Knuckles white and I felt the groan of the bones in my own hand.

“Do you need their name to command them?” Nines icy laser gaze stuck to us.

“No, thankfully. Now back to Connor’s question. Across this country are several hundred, maybe even thousand, packs, each with their own alpha. The alpha is responsible for the safety and enforcement of our laws amongst his pack. I say his because it’s rare for females to hold an alpha role. Males are stronger, faster and more aggressive. They are better suited to fending off any potential challengers.”

“So, you’re what, a phcking deviant?” Gavin’s word choice struck a chord as Connor looked at Hank before looking to me.

“Yes, I’m the largest wolf any of us have come across. In a way, I’m the wolf equivalent of Nines. Faster, stronger, larger and more resilient than other wolves. I have only ever been bested by one wolf in my life. He is my maker’s brother. He’s also Clay’s father and one of the oldest wolves I know. I’ve been lucky enough to have had a good teacher when it comes to surviving in this world.” I sat, and Clay followed suit.

“So, you’re the phcking queen of alphas or some shit?” Gavin’s brow was furrowed deeply, and I half smiled.

“Yeah, I’m the alpha of alphas. It’s why Clay and I are here. We’re the ones who get called when our people need extra enforcers. I’m really a weird ass fuck up in the wolf world. I survived the change and I ended up growing to be bigger than anyone ever expected. Then to top it all off, I’m faster and almost like werewolf 2.0. Not a whole lot of other wolves appreciated me in the beginning. But now, I’m either respected or at least tolerated. Not that they have a choice, we’ve established that I’m far more dominant than most other alphas. But there are some people actually enjoy me and we’re good friends. I just do what I have to do to keep my people alive.” I tried not to think of the friends I’d lost. I absently rubbed a hand down my arm.

“What about those tranquilizer darts?” Connor had refocused me and I thanked him silently.

“Since Clay wouldn’t be able to remain calm with his alpha incapacitated, we agreed he’d be our guinea pig for this next one.” Clay stood, and I retrieved a dart from our bag. This was a serum we used regularly, I knew it would wear off quickly and that he’d be okay. He eyed me warily and I soothed him the best I could. He stood still and breathed deeply.

“Wait why wouldn’t he remain calm?” Connor inquired.

“Are you crazy? You’re gonna dart him?” Hank stood, and I turned to him.

“This is a serum we have perfected for safe use. It’s been used on me. I helped develop it okay? We mostly use it for medical procedures.” With that I gently pressed the dart into Clay’s arm. He winced and after a heartbeat swayed. He pitched forward, and I caught him. As I eased him to the ground, he groaned. His eyes glazed, and I felt him shudder. “Shh, you’re okay Clay. I’m here.” I turned back to Connor as I responded, “We’re designed to protect our alphas at all costs. The alpha is the leader and the safety net of the pack. It’s an instinctual override that exists in us. Our instinct to ensure the survival of the pack. Best way to do that? Make sure your alpha survives.”

“That works fast. That’s a safe version?” Gavin rose and wandered over. Concern coated his body and came off of him in waves.

“Yeah this is child’s play compared to what we found.” I eased Clay onto his side as his breathing slowed. I kept a hand on his side for a moment longer, leisurely enjoying the movement of muscle and bone beneath my touch.  

“Holy shit, he’s out.” I snorted as I nodded.

“Don’t step too close, I have a feeling he’s going to wake up a little volatile.” Everyone stepped back at that. Connor was the only one that knelt next to me. “Connor we are dangerous. Just remember that. Even Cassie, as docile as she seems, is capable of inflicting some severe damage. We really are mother nature’s apex predator. We’re built in a way that makes us the near perfect design for survival.”

Clay began to stir, and I laid a hand on his shoulder. The muscle spasmed beneath my palm and I removed it as if I’d been burned. His body shuddered as his eyes opened to slits. His eyes were a mix of confusion and wolf. He groaned as his body jerked. I gave him a small amount of space.

The wolf was trying to protect itself. Soon a shaky wolf stood before us. I held out my hand and whined low in my throat, inviting him to come into my space. His head swiveled to look at me. His ears bent back to sit flush against his skull. Lips peeled back to reveal sharp, glistening fangs. I moved closer and held his gaze. With shaky steps he curled into my arms. He knew he was safe with his alpha. His big blocky head butted up against my abdomen and he eased.

“That is the comfort an alpha can bring boys. A real alpha is safety and comfort. Protection. We protect those that need it. We’re guardians, protectors and leaders.” I stood, and Clay stretched, his brown fur rippling down his body with muscle that was finding its place. He yawned long and loud, giving a full display of powerful jaws. I turned my back to him as he shifted back. He grabbed the back pack and dressed.

“Was that necessary?” Nines’ narrowed eyes rested on Clay as he dressed.

“Trust me, it was the best thing I could do. I don’t like staying a wolf in a place I don’t know if Cara has established safety. I wasn’t about to trot away to get dressed either, my wolf was not about to leave our alpha alone in a room full of strange men.” He rolled his shoulders and a series of pops and cracks sounded. I rolled my own joints and felt relief as tense muscle released.

“I think Clay and I should take our leave. We can discuss more in the morning. Afterall, we all have work to do.” I picked up our things as Clay answered more questions before we turned for the door. It was Nines’ voice that made me pause.

“Cara, thank you.” I wanted to stay, I didn’t yet want to go face the horrors of the world.


	11. Leads can lead to Some Interesting Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cara and Clay get a lead. Time to team up and have each other's backs. Will Nines actually trust them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay again y'all. Life gets in the way of life doesn't it?

Clay and I returned to the safe house and let Cassie out. She made herself comfortable on the couch and I made my way upstairs. I heard Clay follow up slowly. 

“Should we really have done that?” His voice was quiet, steady. He didn’t like questioning me, but it was how we made sure we were making the right choices and ensuring the best approach.

“What choice do we have Clay? They’re in the middle of this and I’m not going to let them go in thinking they can handle wolves with basic training.” I blew out a frustrated breath as I turned to him. With crossed arms, he leaned against the doorframe. His eyes seeming to have a subtle glow to them.

“Da was right, we shouldn’t have come here. We all had a bad feeling about this trip.” He looked away from me then, his own frustration mounting. The moon was already stirring our blood.

“Clay, if we had let this go, how long before we were discovered? We didn’t have a choice. This is a fight we couldn’t back down from.” My mind worked through what we knew. Then it hit me. Cassie had been taken from a bar. There were only two neighborhoods of interest. Someone had found the perfect hunting ground and not far would be our target.

“Hunt and Howl.” Clay had been watching me intently and saw my realization.

“Looks like Ricky might be in the middle of a mess.” The full moon would be here soon, and we were finally closing in on something. This was our fourth night in Detroit, realistically we had two more nights to close this out before the full moon made our jobs that much harder.

“We can go tonight.” Clay’s voice had a hopeful lift to it. He was ready to get this over with.

“Yeah, what about Cassie? The two of us walking in there is going to draw a lot of attention. Anyone who lives in Detroit is going to be expecting us to be here. Anyone we’re trying to catch is going to be on alert already. The two of us stepping into Hunt and Howl? That’s going to be a red alert. We would be walking into a blood bath. We need to be smart about this.” My voice had more bite to it than I would’ve liked. Looks like we needed a babysitter and back up.

“Cara, no, we don’t need them. We can handle this. This is our domain.” Clay took several steps into the room before I skewered him with a stare.

“I want to get this done as quickly as possible, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to be stupid and rush in halfcocked. We have people that can help. I don’t want anyone else to die. Especially bystanders.” He dropped his gaze and turned, stalking out of the room.

I huffed a frustrated breath before getting into my closet, undercover was going to suck. Clay had the best intentions, but he was making my life much harder than it needed to be right now. We could trust them, right? I shoved my doubts aside as I dug into the closet.

 

Nines and Gavin arrived shorty after Hank and Connor. Clay was still sulking about the whole ordeal. Cassie was happily chatting up Hank as Connor listened. Her eyes were lit with a spark of life that made a smile creep into my face. Hank watched her with an endearment that he gave Connor and Nines. The lieutenant had so much love in him. I descended the stairs and watched as several stares landed on me.

“What the fuck kind of outfit is that for this mission?” I raised a brow at Nines’ sudden lack of professionalism. His lips were set into a thin line. His eyes were harsh and critical. He looked far more intimidating than he ever had.

“Considering we’re heading into one of the most popular clubs in that area, I need to look all the part of a predator. Plus, I have to see if I can lure someone of interest. Sorry but sex sells.” I crossed my arms across my chest causing my breasts to push up and call even more attention to the already attention-grabbing low v of my shirt. Heck the whole of my xyphoid process was visible. I watched Nines’ lips tighten further and his eyes narrow at me. He clearly wasn’t pleased.

“Wow, you look like one of those WR400 models.” Cassie regarded me with curious fear. She eyed me with interest but also innately recognized a dangerous predator in her vicinity. She kept close to Hank, who frowned disapprovingly at me. I half expected him to reprimand me. His lips were set in a tight line as well. _Like father like adoptive son, I guess._

“That’s the point.” The jeans I wore were molded to me, practically a second skin, torn and ripped in strategical places meant to draw in gazes. Dark red lips accentuated the pout of my lips, smoky makeup meant to give an alluring look. I was a huntress looking for a very specific kind of prey.

“So, what, you go in and lure some poor bastard out? What’s the phcking point of the rest of us?” Gavin watched me with anger sparking in his eyes.

“Not quite, I need a partner. Usually I’d take Clay but considering our friend owns the place, if he’s involved, it’s going to set off some alarms. If I’m solo, the best bet is I’m just out to have some fun. Going in with another guy? I’m probably just out trying to piss off Clay. The point is minimize any suspicion that I might be investigating anything. My first choice would’ve been one of you RK models but unfortunately, I have to assume Ricky knows your faces. Hank, I’d rather you stay with Cassie, make sure she doesn’t get into trouble. Especially since she’s taken a liking to you and Connor. I have more hope that she’d listen to you than she would Gavin.” Cassie’s snort confirmed my thoughts.

“That leaves me.” I nodded at Gavin and he blew out a frustrated breath.

“Trust me this isn’t ideal, but you already know what you’re dealing with and I know I can trust you to have my back.” Gavin seemed to contemplate the situation before nodding.

“Yeah, let’s phcking do this.” I tried to ignore the hatred in Nines eyes as Gavin and Clay ascended the stairs to get him prepped.

 

I pulled Hank aside to discuss the plan and what to do should anything happen. He listened carefully and when I was done, looked down at me curiously.

“So, Cara how often have you been to this bar?” His arms crossed over his chest as a brow crawled up his face.

“It was a place I used to go to a lot in my younger years. I mean the place has been around for decades. I was young and stupid at one-point Hank.” I had tugged on a cardigan and found myself tugging it shut, trying to be more modest.

“Ya know, you don’t have to dress like that.” He didn’t judge, didn’t often harsh words, just made a simple statement.

“It’s easier when everyone thinks you’re just some slutty bitch trying to get laid. They underestimate what you’re capable of.” I crossed my arms tightly about myself. I jumped slightly when his hand came down on my shoulder.

“Yeah well that’s because guys are dumb. Just be careful out there okay? Take the backup if you need it. Don’t be stubborn or stupid just to prove a point kid.” His hand squeezed my shoulder gently and I smiled as I reached up to lay my hand over his.

“I promise I won’t be stupid.” I squeezed his hand before continuing, “You’ve help turn those two into good people Hank. You’re a great father. I hope you know that. I’m sorry Hank.” I watched the sadness cross his face and instantly regretted my words.

“I’ve just done what I can to make sure those two knuckleheads have a shot at a good life. Who knows maybe androids and werewolves will be the ones to make this world a better place.” He huffed out a breath even as his lip came up into a half smile.

“No, we will all make this place better. We’re all in this together whether we know it or not.” Our heads turned as Nines approached.

“Go on, go catch a bastard.” Hank’s hand gently pushed me forward and I smiled.

“I’ll bring them home at a reasonable hour sir.” I balanced on my tiptoes and gently pressed a kiss to his cheek. He shook his head even as he chuckled.

“Good luck kid.” With his last blessing, we went out into the Detroit night.


	12. Nightclubs, Wolves, and Androids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin and Cara team up to sniff out a lead. Can Cara keep a low profile and keep the peace?

“Okay Gavin, the cuff on your ear may or may not work, I don’t know honestly but I’d rather try than not. It’s to help communicate with me. Let me get us through the doors and then we can go from there. Be careful who you talk to.”  Wasn’t stupid enough to believe werewolves were the only things that go bump in the night and there were other nonhuman scents in the air. As we stepped out of the car, I was sure to put a little extra swing into my step. I placed my hand in the crook of Gavin’s arm as we approached the door. The soft leather beneath my hand felt warm. This jacket was better suited to Gavin.

I had to commend Clay’s ability to dress Gavin in a way that concealed who he was while still exuding power and confidence. Gavin’s skin looked tanner with the contrast of the lighter grey and navy-blue jacket. Gavin had been worried about bringing his gun, but I assured him that we would be fine. I could feel the firmness of the holstered gun brush against me every so often as we walked.

“Cara, long time no see.” The large male at the door greeted me with a nod before turning to Gavin with a sly smile. “With a guest I see.”

“Of course, Titan, since when do I come here alone?” I ran my hand up his forearm and gave him a playful squeeze. Titan’s toothy grin flashed down at me. His messy mop of blonde hair stuck out in all direction, but his dark blue eyes were sharp and analytic. His forearm twitched beneath my hand, making the tattoos there jump and writhe. We had long ago settled who was the better fighter but I’m sure that given the chance, Titan would be willing to fight again.  

He leaned in close for a second, seeming to plant a kiss on me cheek and instead breathed, “Be careful in there Cara. Bad deals are going on.” He straightened rapidly before continuing, “Head in but you might want to check in with Ricky.” I winked at him as we strolled in. Titan and Ricky had always had a policy of turning a blind eye to the dealings within and around the club so long as the wrong kind of attention wasn’t drawn to the establishment. Clearly, Titan had seen something going down. His warning made my wolf growl, coming to attention immediately.

As soon as we stepped in you could hear the melodic thump of the bass as the darkness consumed your sight. My eyes adjusted easily and soon I was guiding Gavin deeper into the wolf’s den. The flashing lights were designed to not disrupt wolf’s eyes. The music designed for werewolves. The whole of this place made for those who weren’t entirely human. The club was packed. The writhing bodies on the dancefloor were a mix of android and human. And obviously something else. But I scented what I was looking for. Wolf. The hypnotic beat continued to rumble as we walked toward the bar.

 Ricky was always the head bartender here. I met his gaze as we approached the music blaring into my heart. Ricky bared his teeth, his version of a smile as Gavin and I settled at the bar. The music was already having its intended effect on me. All the music played at Hunt and Howl was meant to reach into a wolf’s baser desires and create the thrill of the hunt. It was a perfect melodic hypnosis for the beast within. I smiled at Ricky as he approached.

“Cara what brings you in?” He already had a glass in hand and was mixing something together.

“I’m looking for some fun, Hunt and Howl has always been the place for that.” I kept my eyes trained on him. His lips quirked up into a feral smile as he met my gaze.

“Fun? Or trouble.” He dropped the smile as he looked at Gavin. “No Clay?”

“No, I wanted someone a bit more fun tonight. This is David.” Gavin took the cue to lean into me. He played his part well, his hands snaking up to my hips as he inhaled my scent. Gavin had leaned in so close I could feel his lashes flutter against my skin. I cupped his cheek in a loving fashion while keeping my eyes trained on Ricky. I could feel the scrape of his stubble against my palm as his breath fanned over my skin.

“I don’t want any bar fights got it?” He set an odd green drink in front of me and I took it. I gulped it down and felt the alcohol burn its way down my throat.

“Here.” He swung a blue drink down toward us. “For him.” I eyed Ricky before I gave Gavin the drink. There was no malice in his feral eyes. I trusted hm on this. Gavin drank his drink quickly. As I took Gavin’s hand and began to walk away, I heard Ricky in my mind.

 _Be careful Cara, there are a lot of people who aren’t friends here._ Gavin and I wove our way into the crowd. Gavin’s hand in mine felt hot. I could feel a thrumming in my in veins that lent itself to either the drink or the music. Gavin and I stopped once in the center of the crowd. I turned and pinned him with a stare. He took my chin in his hand and leaned in. I could feel his breath against my ear as he spoke.

“How many times have you seen a wolf with red eyes.” It wasn’t exactly framed as a question. I didn’t really have an answer to that. He pulled back and must have seen a deep confusion on my face. He released my chin and I felt an odd need to reestablish contact with him. Not in a romantic way but the need was there. A wolf with red eyes? What had Gavin seen? Was it the drink?

With a look we separated. Gavin would keep his eyes out for anything out of place while I went about with my end. I knew I had to catch someone’s eye. I made my way towards the poles Ricky kept toward the front. There was one way to make sure everyone knew I was here. Ricky and Titan’s warnings had confirmed why we were here, I wanted to draw out one of those unfriendly faces.

Taking the pole in my hands I began to roll and bump to the music. Gyrating this way and that I let the music hum through me. I made sure not to fully display what I was capable of. Then I saw one particular face locked onto me, no longer moving with the crowd. I moved about the pole taking stock of the room, Gavin was a ways away watching the crowd. His face lifted to look at me and he smirked.

_Practicing our stripper moves?_

_Wanna teach me how it’s done Gav?_ I watched as surprise flicked across Gavin’s face at my response. He settled back into passive indifference as he returned his gaze to the crowd.

The beat shifted into something darker more animalistic, and I adjusted accordingly. That’s when I saw the other faces about the club. Eyes reflecting the animal within. Five wolves total. One set of glowing green-yellow eyes trained on me. One android that had his eyes on me. Time to move. I gracefully came back into the crowd. There were several eyes that watched me hungrily as I sashayed closer to the android. A woman decided to cut into my path, and I smirked at her.

I began to roll and sway with the music, her body pressed to mine. I kept casting glances at the android, drawing him in. My eyes said trust me, my body said come and try me, his eyes said why not. As he approached, I turned. He pressed himself to me and we ground together. I was squeezed between the two writhing bodies. The woman brought her hand to my face and leaned in for a kiss, I hungrily returned the kiss before turning away, keeping my eyes trained on those wolves at the margins. She moved away as I draped my arms over the android. I alternated between a closeness that asked for more and distance that coyly demanded more.

 _Got one, move in boys._ Clay and Nines had been stationed nearby waiting on a signal from either Gavin or myself.

 _We’ve got eyes on us Cara._ Gavin’s voice filtered in. There were indeed a few eyes on us. I took a step back and held my hand out. The android took it and we made our way through the crowd towards Gavin and the back area that few of Hunt and Howls patrons knew about.

I had made sure to make Gavin aware of it before we entered. I saw several wolves move as I made my way to Gavin.

 _Heads up we’ve got company._ I pushed open the secret door to the “back stage” area and the android stumbled in. I wasted no time slamming him against the wall.

“Remember me fuck face?” I snarled into the familiar face as I applied enough pressure to make the skin around his throat retract, revealing the chassis below, one more bit of pressure rendered its voice useless. Its eyes widened as I bared my fangs. “Yeah, I’m not dead honey.”

 I heard the footsteps before I felt the impact. The wolf in human skin that had tackled me crumpled against the wall as I rolled with him. Its brilliant gold eyes, unfit for its human face, shimmered with rage. Gavin had entered by now and I was glad the tempo of the music had changed. As Gavin discharged his gun, catching the fleeing android in the leg, I caught the lunging wolf before swinging him into the android.

The thundering bass covered the racket we made. Another wolf appeared and charged, Gavin shot at it and it stopped with a snarl. “Hold it right there, prick. Next one goes in your brain.” The other wolf stood and stalked towards us.

 _Let’s go partner._ Gavin’s grace and agility lent itself well to combat. These wolves were high off of the music and too new, too uncontrolled to be able to fend us off. I launched my opponent at the crawling android. Its neck snapped in two. Gavin had long ago fired into the other wolf’s chest, leaving it crumpled on the ground. I hauled the android up and as it raised an arm to strike, Gavin shot it in the shoulder.

“Don’t even try it asshole.” Blue blood had sprayed at the impact, splattering onto my shirt. With an evil sneer I dug my hand into the android’s abdomen, reaching for the biocomponent that controlled its legs. I crushed it in my grasp and dropped the bastard onto the floor. Clay appeared then, coming in from the outside.

 “Nice job. Although, we should get these bodies out of sight.” He whistled long and low, appreciating the work Gavin had done. I hauled the wolf Gavin had shot into my arms, after having cleaned the blue blood onto its coat, and passed him off to Clay who took the body outside. The other body was already close to the exit, so Clay just dragged that one along.

I heard footsteps approaching overhead and I reacted with little thought. I backed Gavin against a wall before pressing my lips to his. His eyes widened in surprised as his hands came up to push me away. I pressed into him and deepened the kiss. My ears alert for any sign that the security wolf wasn’t buying the act. I heard a snort before receding footsteps. I pushed away from Gavin and he eyed me with disgusted.

“What the fuck was that?” He wiped his mouth with his hand as he glared at me.

“It’s called saving our skins. We already called enough attention, we didn’t need another wolf sounding a full-on alert to whoever else is here. Now let’s get out of her- “As I turned, I was cut off by a hand wrapping around my throat and hauling me off the ground. My hands flew up to my throat and I tried to pry the hand away. I looked down and saw Nines’ furious eyes boring into me.

“Nines, Nines put her down, we gotta get outta here.” Gavin tried to quell Nines, but his grip did not relent. I decided to try to support my weight rather than fight his hold.

“Nines, I didn’t mean anything by that. Hell, I don’t even like Gavin more than a fri- “Further pressure made it impossible to vocalize.

“Yo, Nines, drop her. Now.” Clay’s eyes burned with fury, his wolf demanding he protect me. His crossed arms said he was in command, but his fierce tension said he was ready to strike. As a hand came down, I shook my head ever so slightly, my claws now digging into Nines’ forearm, instinct demanding I fight to survive. Clay bared his teeth slightly but crossed his arms again. As I struggled to support myself, my claws felt like they were pressing against solid steel. Had Nines been human, blood would have welled up, as it was, my claws only made contact with the chassis. The white of it exposed as the skin around it faded.

 _Nines, there was another wolf, it was cover, nothing else. Gavin is all yours and I want no part of what is yours. Let’s go before we get caught._ His LED spun for a moment before he released me. I dropped, breathless and furious. I shot up and swung, catching him right in the nose. I watched as blue blood dripped out.

“Next time, maybe I won’t try to save our skins. Just remember some of us are more breakable than others.” I stalked out into the night, Clay on my heels.

 

Once back at the house, Hank had immediately zeroed in on the purple markings around my neck. Although they were faded, the angry purple fingers were still prominent against my skin. He asked what had happened and I had brushed it off as a misunderstanding. The lieutenant had immediately looked at Gavin. Gavin hadn’t said a thing. Then, it had all clicked as Clay stalked in. Obviously, Gavin didn’t have the force necessary to bruise me this badly. Hank’s livid eyes had turned to Nines then. Thirium long since evaporated, he looked fine. The situation was explained as I disappeared upstairs. I got cleaned up and dressed into something more practical.


	13. Little Wolf, Big Teeth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past comes a calling, Can Cara keep her cool? Or is she going to end up pissing the whole team off? Gavin shows more of a soft side while dad mode Hank comes to the rescue.

 

Connor’s attention had immediately turned to the android. I think it was more about not dealing with Nines than anything else. He had wanted to interrogate the android we brought in, I wanted to dismantle it. I let Nines and Connor take point on this. This was their domain. They were in the basement with the android now. We had all apologized to one another after Hank chewed us all out. Nines admitted he had overreacted, and I admitted that I shouldn’t have punched him. Clay, Cassie, Hank and I had settled into the living room while Gavin made himself coffee. We began discussing our plan.

“We’ve got two neighborhoods to investigate, the club is smack in the midway point between the two.”

“We know, androids are using the wolves for their dirty work, but it looks like we’ve kept them busy since there haven’t been any more homicides.” Hank sat back as he spoke.

“These fuckers have been setting up shop at the club for a hunting space since people have to be stupid and go to that place.” Gavin sipped his coffee causally.

“We could split into two teams and investigate the neighborhoods Considering we’re running out of time.” Clay rubbed his hands together, clearly agitated at how close we were getting. We had only one night after tomorrow night. Clay and I did not want to be caught out here while the full moon was out.

“I don’t want Cassie out there and I don’t want to toss her into the cage over and over.” I looked at Cassie who nodded thankfully.

“Well let’s see what the tin cans come up with.” Gavin sat back and closed his eyes. I thought about who to group together for these investigational teams. I wanted to split Clay and myself between the two teams. That left Cassie. I wanted to keep my eye on her. I would take her on my team. Ultimately, I would wait to see what Nines and Connor thought.

A short while later Nines and Connor came out of the basement. I saw thirium on Nines’ hands. As he went to the kitchen to wash his hands, Connor sat on the couch and we waited for Nines to return. We have another body to get rid of. That was one thing, I don’t think I was ever going to get used to. The chronic body count would always weigh on me, no matter how necessary it was. As Nines sits, I lean forward hoping for something good.

“The main hub of the operations is in the second neighborhood we had on our list. We probed its memories and have narrowed it down to a block. We’ve finally got a solid lead and might be able to end this case.” I release a breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding.

“We can get ourselves prepared and hit it tomorrow with better back up from the DPD. Or we can head in without backup, but we should go do a preliminary sweep in the early morning hours.” I couldn’t believe it, this might be over soon.

“I’d rather we not involve any other officers. Especially if this is the main hive, there’s no telling how many people they’ve turned. Clay and I are going to have to comb through the city at some point and round up any stranglers. Should we go now and then all head our respective ways home? We’ll need sleep before the actual assault.” I crack my knuckles as I speak. Eager to get this over with.

“Let’s go.” I smile as we all stand. Clay and I opting to take a walk on the wild side.

 

Cassie had been forced to stay home while Clay and I had to ride in opposite cars due to space issues. That’s how I ended up with my big head out the window of Hank’s car while Clay rode in Gavin’s car. When we arrived at the neighborhood, we’re let out of the vehicles and begin our circle around the block. We do our best to keep down wind of the neighborhood itself but of course, the winds are not always on our side.

As I carefully pad around the houses in question, my ears pick up on an odd sound. My ears perk up and I carefully stalk forward, toward the sound. I keep on high alert each step is carefully measured as I stick to the shadows. Then I recognize the sound, androids. Distressed androids. Laughter. The smell of burning. The sound of something tearing. I crouch down low as I watch a few men exit a nearby house. They’re laughing and jostling each other.

 _Red ice._ I see Clay far closer to them than I would like him to be, but we remain perfectly still. He watches them intently, ears swiveling like satellites. As they continue talking, I realize what’s going on here. It’s a joint operation. I signal Clay to return to the cars as another vehicle arrives. We freeze. There’s the sound of an obvious struggle coming from within the car. Clay and I look at each other. We watch and wait as a few men come out of the car and open the trunk. They yank out a terrified woman. No, not a woman, an android. I can see the blue blood coming from her wounds. Clay inches forward and I shake my head. He backpedals quickly and quietly as someone steps out of the house. We both recognize the scent of a wolf. Crap. Things just got really, messy.

“This is the best you could find me? And why is it damaged?” The wolf cups the girl’s chin in his hand with disdain. She’s trembling, crying and mumbling around a filthy rag tied as a makeshift gag.

“DPD has been on the lookout, two of our helpers have gone missing. It’s getting trickier to pick up these freaks for you. Whatdya care anyways, people are payin’ ya to beat the shit outta ‘em anyways.” Shit, shit, shit, this was not going to be something so easily taken on. _Connor? Nines? We have a situation down here. Active android kidnapping, likely a red ice den and a whole lotta bad. What do we do_?

 _We’ve already put in a request for a warrant, our hands are tied without that. We could lie and say we witnessed the crime firsthand, but I don’t think we’d come out on top of this. Your call._ As I signaled Clay to fall back, I stayed put. Clay looked furious, we were not bound by human law. In this case we were, getting into an all-out gun fight here would not be good. I retreated as the woman was taken into the home.

 _I can’t believe you made us walk away._ Clay was angry on our walk back to the cars.

_Clay we can’t risk more police being called onto the scene. The warrant is currently being processed, we’ve been through these situations before. We have to have some patience. I know, I didn’t want to leave her either._

When we reach the cars, we debrief on everything we’ve seen and heard. We decline a ride back and instead choose to spend some time alone. Nines watches us a while before driving away. Clay and I trot back home in silence.

 

Once back home, we let Cassie make herself comfortable in one of the spare bedrooms while Clay and I settle into bed together. As I burrow into him, I can’t help but yearn for his warmth. He holds me close pressing me to his chest, all while pressing his lips to the top of my head. His hand stroke lazy circles down my back. I huddle in close, wondering if this was all worth it. If ignoring all the bad feelings had been the right choice. I wondered what I could have done differently.

“Hey, get out of your head and talk to me.” Clay’s gentle voice rumbled in my ears.

“I hate that you know me so well.” I keep my hands pressed to his chest as I smile.

“Why else would you invite me to your bed?” His deep chuckle vibrates beneath my palms. I gaze up at him and his eyes glitter in the darkness. “Cara, we’re here now, there’s no going back, no do overs, no changes, we can only go forward.” His hand cups my cheek and I twist to kiss him.

“I’m supposed to be the alpha, aren’t I?” I smile as we pull back.

“Even great alphas need help.” He holds me close and I take comfort in his proximity, in his support, in his love. He holds me close and comforts me the only way wolves know how, through physical touch.

 

Far too soon, morning comes, and Clay gets out of bed first. I roll over, clutching the covers to my naked form. I don’t want to face the day yet. I want to curl up in my den. Except this isn’t my den. This isn’t my city. None of this is mine. With a sigh I get up and head for the shower. I bathed quickly, wrapping the towel about me I gaze into the mirror and see those icy blue eyes. The golden flecks breaking through like shards of ice. Eyes that aren’t mine yet mine all the same.

“Hello,” I say, pressing my palm to the mirror. I look into those eyes and wonder, just what does she think of all this? I turn away and get myself dressed. I hate wearing tactical gear, it feels far too human, too janky and constricting. Funny how something can feel so foreign. Human. A foreign feeling now. Too many decades passed from my human self. Time leaving a cavernous gap between me and true humanity.

“Good morning, already in your tact gear?” Clay leans against the bedroom doorframe, he himself already I his tact gear. I lace up my boots and secure my holsters. My hair is already pulled back, a few stubborn strands falling about my face.

“Like you’re one to talk.” I brush passed him and head downstairs. The fleeting warmth of his body igniting something within me. I can feel his eyes on me as I walk away. Downstairs, coffee is already served. We’re waiting to head to the precinct. The sun hasn’t even come out yet. I can feel my whole-body vibrating. I can feel the moon violently churning in my blood. My wolf wanted to hunt. I can tell Clay is antsy too. Cassie is pacing, unsure of what exactly is happening. I’m just glad she’s still holding a human form. I hesitate to lock her in the basement, but I also fear her losing control. She heads down without protest. As Clay and I head out, I suddenly get a deep chill to my bones as I lock the door behind me.

 

As we stride into the DPD, I catch several stares, I walk passed them all. I swing my coat off and toss it over Connor’s chair. Hank gives me a hard look and I ignore it. I can’t think about humanity right now. We need to get in and get out of the house. It’s time we shut this shit down. The RK models stride in with similar tact gear on and I raise my head a little. Gavin is not far behind them, checking his pistol before holstering it. Hank is the only one in his regular clothing. I don’t say anything as the warrant is issued. We head for the vehicle bay in silence.

Once we arrive at the neighborhood, I slide on what anyone else would think are tactical glasses. The sunglasses just keep my eyes shielded from anyone else. I let my wolf rise to the top slightly. My hearing sharpens, and my eyesight focuses. The area long since secured, we begin our move in towards a few of the houses. I keep my ears alert, listening for the slightest of changes. Clay trails not far behind. I let the RKs lead the charge into the homes, Clay and I split between the two.

Once inside, it’s chaos. There’s shouting and shooting, glass shattering. It’s absolute chaos and my wolf drinks it all in, in stride. She enjoys the thrill. Once the location is secured, I make my way down to the basement where I can hear whimpering. As I descend the stairs, I hear something clang against metal. I keep my gun ready, unsure of what to expect. I smell wolf, but none of it seems fresh. The metallic pang of thirium engulfs the room. Then I see it. The cage built into the home. Large enough to house a wolf, though not comfortably. I can see a figure curled in on itself in the cage.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe now.” I ease closer and see the red glow of an LED. I put my gun away and ease up to the cage. It’s not even large enough for an android to stand in. I place my hands on the bars and begin fiddling with the lock. Its screech of fear has me frozen. I recoil at its sharp pang. As if it could get any smaller, it tightens in on itself.

“No, no, no don’t hurt me!” The screech is so painful so loud I take a step back. “You’re one of those things! Get away from me!” I know it’s the fear talking but the words slice through me. We never chose to be the moving shadows of the night.

 _Connor, I help down here._ I back away and I see her face. The android from last night. She’s been through hell. I can see spots where her skin is gone, the chassis visible and damaged. I feel for her. I know far too well what it’s like to be caged and helpless. Soon I hear Connor descending the stairs and I step away. His eyes widen as he takes in the scene. His LED spins yellow before settling blue. I can hear his gentle voice but none of the words. Suddenly the room feels too small. I squeeze my eyes shut and force myself to take a breath.

When I open them again, I still see the words there on the wall just beyond the stairs.

You can’t keep us hidden anymore, little wolf…

Suddenly, I’m running back up those stairs and out of the house. I can’t breathe, each breath feels like fire. Clay rushes to me and takes my face is his hands, he’s talking to me but all I hear is droning.

You can’t keep us hidden anymore, little wolf. Come and find them.

I shove away from him and head over to one of our detainees. I grab him shirt and haul him up, bringing his face to mine, I snarl right in his face, “Where the fuck, did they go?”

“Fuck off bitch,” He sneers, and I sneer back, only mine has more malice to it.

“I’ll ask one more time, where. Did. They. Go?” I click my teeth together after each word and I see him pale.

“I-I-I don’t know, we wasn’t allowed to know. We, we just grunts.” I release him with a thud and pick up the next one. Then I see an android. I drop my current thug and hear Hank yell at me to knock it off. The android just stares blankly. I don’t bother asking it. I drag it right over to Nines, that’s when I get a struggle. I shove it towards Nines and he catches him easily. He knows what I want. Skin receding, he probes its memory.

Nines “accidentally” overloads it and fries its memory core. We get the body picked up and load the other detainees into the patrol. As I turn back to the house, I see Connor emerge with a frightened mass quivering beside him. He holds her close as they get into the smaller, empty patrol that Hank drove here. I watch as the three of them drive away. Leaving the rest of us to deal with paperwork and bullshit at the station.

It was in the breakroom that Gavin cornered me. He offered me a cup of coffee as we leaned against the counter. He didn’t say anything, we just stood there drinking his coffee. I could see the ripples in my coffee as my hand shook. I set my cup down and braced myself on the counter. Gavin stood next to me for a moment before tugging my sleeve to head outside. I followed him, unsure of what we were doing. Once outside he popped a cigarette into his mouth before offering me one. I hadn’t smoked in a decade, but after a moment, I took it and set it between my lips.

“You wanna talk about it?” He puffed out a cloud of smoke before speaking.

“Talk about what?” I took a deep long pull of my own cigarette after answering.

“Look, I know I’m not Anderson, but I know what it’s like.” He continued to take steady pulls off his cigarette as we stood there.

“It’s nothing. Just old memories getting stirred up.” I didn’t look at him as I spoke.

“Yeah, I get that. So clearly, we have more to follow up on with this case.” He didn’t look at me as he spoke. It was relaxing to be here.

“We need that girl. But they’re probably at Cyberlife right now. I don’t want to pry at her.” I flicked the bud onto the ground before crushing it beneath my heel. We sat on the steps and Gavin lit another cigarette. I gazed up at the sky and sighed.

“Ya know, I never woulda thought I’d be where I am now. And now, here I am sharin’ a smoke with a phckin’ thing that goes bump in the god damn night.” Gavin chuckled as he shook his head. I could see his ring glint in the light. I smiled and decided to change the subject.

“Did ya ever think you were gonna have that ring on ya finger?” I watched as he touched the ring to his lips.

“No, I didn’t but I can’t imagine shit bein’ different now.” His smile was a thousand kilowatts strong and I felt that in my core.

“I’m glad that things are good. This is the way shit should be.” We sat out there a while longer before turning back inside.

 

Once inside, I saw Hank but no Connor. Nines stood not far away. I strode up and Hank started walking, he prompted me to follow as Gavin rejoined Nines. I fell into step with Hank and as I passed Clay, I had a sinking feeling.

“Connor took that girl over to Cyberlife for repairs. She’s okay now, away from everyone else. But what’s up with you kid?” Hank turned abruptly to me and I took a step back.

“Hank just let sleeping dogs lie will ya? What’s important is getting this over with.” I didn’t want to talk about any of this.

“Bullshit, I saw your face. What the hell got into you? Those wannabe thugs were scared shitless. That’s not how we handle shit.”

“You used to Hank, Gavin used to. I’m doing what I have to, to get his over with so no one else has to get hurt or…” The words died on my tongue.

“Kid, we can’t just bust kneecaps and call it a day. This is an active investigation for cryin’ out loud.” Hank threw his hands up exasperated.

“I can’t let anyone else get hurt. This has to end tonight.” I couldn’t sit around waiting but I couldn’t force someone to talk to me.

“Connor is at our place. I think we’re gonna need to talk.” He turned back toward the bullpen and I didn’t know what to say. Going back almost felt wrong at this point. I stood apart from the bustle of the bullpen deciding to head back. Hank was busy talking to Fowler while Nines and Gavin poured over the information we had collected. Clay came to stand next to me.

“What’s our next move.” It was a statement not a question, because he knew what we needed to do, just not how.

“You saw the message. Find them.” I walked over to Nines and Gavin as Clay trailed behind. They didn’t look up from their work as I approached. I sat and listened to what they were discussing. I listened and formulated. I needed to know more. The houses weren’t meant to house any more than two or three individuals. One had clear evidence of the “attack dogs” being housed there, the other seemed to house the side business. But was this a network or just one sect?

“Cara? Earth to Cara.” Clay was waving his hand in my face. I shook myself and refocused.

“Sorry, I guess I zoned out.”

“Yes, we noticed. Anyways, we have knowledge of at least ten missing persons reports over the past month. We know that Cassie is one of them, there’s one more we can account for. That leaves eight others. Presumably, those are the ones we’re being challenged to find. Unless of course, they’ve been disposed of. We also know that there appears to be a side operation dedicated to Red Ice and the kidnapping of deviants for the purposes of making a profit by selling the chance to torture them. The thirium for the Red Ice is likely coming as a byproduct of that business. It is unknown if there are further deviants that are missing. But it does give us light into the dozen or so missing android cases that have popped up over the past four months. I’m led to believe the…others…are being housed in another building. Admittedly, we’re at a loss as to where this could be. The deviant I probed earlier offered no new information. The only things it gave me was knowledge we already had.” Nines finished surmised the facts we had.

“I’ll talk to Cassie but we’re going to need to talk to that girl Connor helped rescue.” I started to get up, but Nines cleared his throat to stop me. I paused, watching him over my shoulder.

“You and Clay really should come to Hank’s afterwards.” His voice carried the barest hint of a command that had my eyes narrowing at him with curiosity before walking out of the precinct.

 


	14. Connor, Connor, Connor...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor's got himself in deep doesn't he? Emotions can be hard, can't they Connor?

 

“Cassie, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I really need to know more. Please.” Cassie sat, perched honestly, in a chair next to the window. She didn’t look at me or Clay, she focused instead on the outside world.

“Cas, you have to understand that all we want is to find where you were and save- “

“Save them, I know! I know okay!? I get it! I just can’t think about it!” Cassie’s screaming cut Clay off with a wince. I on the other hand pressed forward. I knew how this was going to work and I regretted what I had to do.

“Too bad Cassie. Sometimes you don’t get to say you can’t, you have to push through and help. Sometimes by saying you can’t, you’re just being selfish and allowing others to get hurt. We don’t get to wallow in our pity and pain. We have to protect those that can’t protect themselves. I’m sorry this all happened but god damnit Cassie don’t let those that have died, die in vain!” My words cracked in the air, whips breaking down her walls and exposing her.

“What would you know about being locked in a cage and beaten!? What would you know?!” She was in my face screaming, “They died! They got free of this, this fucking hell that life has turned into!” She shoved me, but I didn’t budge an inch.

“They died and now they don’t get to live to see the beauty this life had for them. Maxus was one of the gentlest, kindest people I’ve ever met, and he’s gone, protecting those he swore to protect. Adam? Adam was gunned down in my arms after Maxus tried to get him out because Maxus believed Adam could help. So, no, Cassie, you don’t get to give up.” I crowded close to her and I made sure she felt the force of what I was.

“I don’t want to be here with you! You’re all fucking monsters!” She tried shoving me and this time I caught her, I held her tight as she struggled. She screamed as she struggled but finally the wall in her broke and she devolved into sobs. She clung to me as she let all the pain and hurt flow out. She was scared and confused, and I knew where she was. But greatness is born from your ability to overcome adversity and I wasn’t going to let her wilt.

Finally, her sobs quieted, and she hiccupped as she tried to compose herself. I held her, and Clay gathered close. We stayed close to her as she began to recount all these stories and memories. I listened carefully, drawing any details I could. When she was done, having released all that she held within, we gathered in the kitchen. We kept close. Clay and I made sure she felt safe. She cleaned up and I got her some hot cocoa.

We sat together, each of us touching. She finally seemed to embrace what had happened to her and understood that there was no turning back. She had chosen to move forward, and I would make sure she found her home amongst her people. Safe and cared for.

 

CONNOR

 

Cara had allowed us to take the lead on this assault and given that Nines was the faster model, I allowed him to call the final shots on who took what house. That’s how Cara and I ended up on one team while Clay, Gavin and Nines were on the other. We moved as a single unit. I cleared the top level of the house while Cara descended. It wasn’t long after she had descended that I heard her call me through the earpiece.

I descended slowly as Gavin came to help with our house. The dimly lit basement was a shop of horrors. Blue blood splattered against the walls, however invisible it may have been to the human eye. Various tools adorned the walls and floor. There was blood too. I stood next to Cara, in front of a cage with a terrified android held within. Cara moved away as I knelt down.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe now. My name is Connor and I’m here to help.” I smiled softly, voice low and soothing. I heard Cara bolt up the stairs but didn’t turn away from the caged android.

“You’re one of them, you’re here with those things!” She took her battered arms away from her face and pressed as far away from me as possible.

“It’s just you and me here. No one is going to hurt you. See? I’m with the Detroit police.” Her LED blared red. Her stress levels were dangerously high.

“Police? But I-I don’t understand, why is the police…” Her stress levels rose, _Stress levels 89%._

“What’s your name?” My best tactic was to derail her train of thought before she could stress more.

“A-Amaia. My name is Amaia.” I could see the fear in her eyes.

“That’s a beautiful name. Amaia, would you like to get out of there? You have my word I’ll keep you safe.” I watched her as she thought it over. I was pleased to watch her stress levels dropped. _Stress levels 81%._

“But what about those things?” She trembled, her eyes darting to the stairs.

“Cara and her partner are here to stop the people that did this to you. I swear they won’t hurt you.” I paused and felt compelled to continue, “I swear, I won’t let them hurt you.” She had the same appearance as the WR400 models, the two Tracis from the Eden club, but she drew me in. She instilled a deep sense of protectiveness.

“Okay, I-I trust you.” I carefully let her out of the cage and as she emerged, I took stock of the damage that had been done. I immediately contacted Cyberlife. She clung to me, fearful of the dark world around her.

I held her close and supported her as we ascended the stairs. She cowered close and I held her tighter. I watched as the others loaded the perpetrators into the patrol. I steered Amaia into Hank’s car and set her in the back seat before I climb in after her. Hank sat in the front seat. “We need to go to Cyberlife Hank.” Amaia curls against me and I wrap my arms around her protectively after draping my jacket over her.

Hank starts driving without another word after looking at us from the rearview mirror. I hum quietly to Amaia as we weave through Detroit. I gently stroke her hair as I rock her. Once we pull up to the gate, Hank rolls down the window.

“Identification?”

“Connor model 313 248 317. I’m here to see my technician.”

“ID confirmed, head in. Nice to see you Connor. Hank.” The guard waves us in. We pull up to the doors and I scoop Amaia into my arms. I hold her close as Hank walks beside me. We stride into the building and walk passed the front desk. Another android appears ahead of me and ushers us to follow. I feel Amaia shudder against me and I hold her closer.

We walk in silence. As we get off the elevators the smaller android walks ahead talking me to the room where I’ll wait for my technician. Hank clamps a hand on my shoulder as we enter the room. The weight is comforting. Grounding. I sit on the exam table with Amaia still cradled in my arms. Hank sits not far away.

“She’s gonna be okay kid. She’s safe now and we’re gonna get her patched up.” Hank’s voice is low and reassuring. I nod and take a deep breath I don’t need. We wait for a while before Thomas Whimer came in.

“800, I assume you’re not here for you.” He spoke softly and gently as he approached. He had his bag of tools with him.

“No, she needs help.” I gently pulled Amaia upright so some of her damage was visible. She immediately tried to retract. “Amaia, this is my friend Thomas. He’s here to help. He’s going to get you fixed up before I can take you somewhere safe. Hank and I are right here, we won’t let anything bad happen to you.” I watched her LED spin yellow, but she held still.

“Hello Amaia, may I take a look at your legs? I promise I’ll tell ya everything I’m gonna do before I do it.” Thomas knelt in front of us, he kept his hands in plain sight and maintained careful eye contact with Amaia. After a moment she nodded. We kept up quiet conversation with Hank and Thomas as he worked. Repairs we slow and extensive. We declined any diagnostic scans before thanking Thomas. We walked out of Cyberlife tower with a newly repaired Amaia.

I didn’t go back to the precinct with Hank. Amaia and I stayed at his home with Sumo. She was scared of Sumo at first but soon she realized that all Sumo wanted was a good petting. She relaxed as we sat with Sumo.

“Amaia, how are you feeling?” I didn’t look at her as I spoke. I didn’t want her to feel pressured to answer. She waited a long time before answering.

“I’m alive. I’m safe here with you. Thank you, Connor. You saved me.” She was quiet as she answered. She was still scared but she felt safer with me. I tried not to feel tremendous pride in that.

“I don’t want you to feel pressured, but it would be immensely helpful if you could tell me what you know about the people that took you and the people that held you.” Her hand stilled over Sumo and I regretted saying anything, but I knew she could be instrumental in ending this case.

“Are you going to go after them?” Her response was so quiet I almost didn’t hear her.

“It’s my job, I have to stop them from hurting anyone else.”

“I don’t know much, I just know that they kept talking about how they had to keep those things in line.” I heard the venom in her voice.

“Amaia, they aren’t all bad. I swear to you. They’re good people too. Most of them at least.”

“How can you say that?” She sounded hurt and I felt a sharp pang of emotion.

“I’ve been around them. One of them, Cara, she saved me. She was hurt when she dove to save me. I watched her save a colleague almost at the cost of her own life. She pulled him out of the way of an oncoming car. Clay has been so patient and despite his lack of trust in us, he’s had our backs throughout this investigation. He’s fought by my side and helped me.” I realized just how close I felt to Cara and Clay at this point with a blink of surprise.

“There’s no possible way that happened.” She scoffed as she balled her fist in Sumo’s fur. I reached for her hand to soothe her and suddenly we were interfacing. I hadn’t meant to open a link to her and I don’t think she meant to link to me. I saw all that she was and what her life had been, before and after the revolution. And she saw all of me. As we came out of it, jerking our hands apart, I stared at her wide eyed. She returned the look with a yellow blinking LED.

“Amaia, I’m so sorry, I don’t know how that happened, are you okay?” I kept my distance, afraid that I would upset her further.

“Connor, you weren’t lying. Connor you-you’ve been through so much.” Suddenly she had her arms around me, sobbing, I was frozen with surprise for a moment before I held her close. I could hear her whispers of ‘sorry’ and ‘you’re okay’ between sobs.

“Amaia, I’m okay. Really.” She pulled back and kissed me. I was shocked but soon I closed my eyes and kissed her back. She understood me, all of me, and I understood her, all of her. I didn’t realize I was crying until she pulled back and wiped the tears off my face. I chuckled softly.

“Connor, you are so deserving of love. Thank you. Even if it was on accident, I’m glad we had that moment. I don’t think, I could have ever said anything that I needed to say out loud.” She smiled sadly as she sat back.

“Amaia, you’re safe and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of after all this is over.” I took her hand gently in mine.

“I don’t want to be away from you Connor. You have been my hero through this and I want to stay with you.” I didn’t immediately respond.

“There’s a place where you’ll be safest. Because I have to go investigate that warehouse you kept hearing about.” She wasn’t going to like this safehouse, I already knew that.

“You can’t, they’ll kill you.” She didn’t raise her voice, but it felt like she was shouting with the way she squeezed my hand.

“I can’t let anyone else get hurt. Plus, you’ve already seen my backup. We’ll be fine.” I smiled at her hoping to ease her nerves.

“I don’t like this idea.” Her lips pressed into a hard line. I almost wanted to stroke the little wrinkle that formed at her brow.

“Amaia, you’ll be safe. I need to go stop these guys from ever doing this again.” She knew I was at least partially right.

“And where would I be safe?”

“Well, it’s a safehouse that’s very well guarded.” Her eyes scanned my face and I held onto a mask of indifference.

“It’s with those things isn’t it.” It was a statement, flat and emotionless. Despite having seen what I had, she still distrusted the wolves. Not that I could blame her.

“They can keep you safe, you’ll be safest there.” I could almost feel her anger.

“I can’t believe you.” She started to stand, and I gently grabbed her wrist.

“I know any one of them would happily keep you safe. Cara, she’d lay in front of a bus to keep you safe, Clay, he’d take a bullet for you, Cassie, she’d jump in between danger and you in a flash.” Of course, I only knew one of those statements were absolutely true, but I didn’t doubt that the rest of them would follow Cara.

“I trust you.” Those words had such power, I just hoped I was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit it, I did the cheap and pulled a Markus/North. But Connor deserves to be happy!


	15. Tension is on the rise and Time is almost up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leads are finally bringing everything to a close but can the team pull it together in time?

CARA

 

Cassie had insisted on joining us at the Anderson home so that’s how we ended up finally taking the old Jeep out of the garage. I was reluctant to bring it along, but it was the safest way to get us all there and back. I let Clay drive because I honestly didn’t want to. We drove in silence. The only thing I wanted was to turn back. I didn’t know what we were walking into. I just knew, I had to remain calm. Clay held tension in his body too. He trusted me but he knew we were putting a lot of trust in these people. We were rattled. The events that had transpired had left us unsure of what any of this was anymore.

Clay had tried to talk to me about it back at the house. I had avoided the subject. He pressed and I danced about it. In a moment of solitude, I had taken a shuddering breath only to choke on a panicked inhale. My hands shook and my body threatened to give way. Clay had been silent. I had been too caught up in the battle within me. He gathered me close, on the floor, holding me with a strength that transcended our years.

Strong arms caged me, a steady heartbeat grounded me, and a warm scent, solely Clay, had embraced me. His entirety held me in that moment of weakness. He hid the gash in the façade of strength that marred my existence. I curled against him. My need for comfort demanding his essence. My hands clung to him unbidden. The desperate need to wake from a nightmare that existed exclusively within me, for me. I refused to believe what my mind was screaming.

I don’t know how long we sat there, a pair of beings so deprived of touch, before I finally pulled back. His hands never left me. His eyes, so full of the calming storm, settled on my face. The gentle brush of his fingers on my cheek as he cupped it, so warm and grounding. His thumb gently traced lazy circles on my jaw. Unbidden, I turned my head, pressing my lips to his wrist, I felt his pulse against my lips. So steady and strong, it leapt against the delicate skin. Stray tears fell between us.

When I raised my head to look at him again, his eyes ignited me. His lips found their way to my forehead. His hand tightened on me. His breath fanning over me, bathing me in his essence. My hands found their way to his chest, the steady beat against them a gentle reminder of life. He pulled back and my mouth captured his. We didn’t move. For a beat, the steady thrum stopped. I broke the connection and stood. Without a glance back, I had walked away. Unwilling to bring the words to life. And he never held it against me.

The sudden halt of the car pulled me from my thoughts. Clay said nothing as we parked, Gavin’s car already in the drive next to Hank’s. I turned to look at him but he was already getting out of the car. I pulled myself back together as I released the seatbelt. I opened the door for Cassie because I refused to take the child locks off. As she stepped out, I heard the door open. Hank stood there. I waved to him as we locked up the car and walked up the drive. We stopped on his front step. His eyes warned me, don’t just walk in.

“Hank, may we come in? Is something the matter?” I pitched my voice softly, calm, quiet, curious even as my eyes narrowed.

“Amaia, that girl we found, she’s scared shitless of you.” His arms were crossed. His big body blocked the doorway. Feet planted firmly. He was protecting his own. Oh boy, this was not something I wanted to deal with right now. This was his domain and inside were his people. His family to protect.

“Hank, you have my word, none of us will hurt her. We won’t even go near her without permission.” I paused before I decided to make a final assurance, “If I break my word, a bullet between the eyes will kill us just as it would a normal person.”

“Jesus kid. Just, just keep your distance.” His arms fell to his side as he stepped inside, leaving us to follow. I stepped through and heard Sumo bark softly. The lumbering beast happily trotted up to say hello. After a quick pat, he moved from me to Cassie. Then excitedly turning to Clay. He had been the last to enter. Both of us unwilling to allow Cassie to take up the rear. I locked eyes with Connor and made sure to give them a wide berth. We sat on the floor with Cassie between us. I kept my eyes away from Amaia. Clay kept his eyes downcast, while Cassie seemed intensely curious.

 _Cassie, knock it off. Look away from her._ Cassie looked away quickly. I was happy that she had accepted my protection and had allowed me to accept her into my pack since our talk earlier today.

“Amaia needs to be safe. We can’t leave her here unprotected.” Connor cut through the silence that had settled.

“And you want us to guard her? Is she okay with that?” Clay spoke with his head tilted down but had his eyes trained on Connor. His tousled curls and pouty lip made him look devilishly boyish, but his body screamed ‘I’m innocent.’ How the fuck did he manage that all the time?

 “She needs someone who can keep her safe. Or at the least, a home that can keep her safe.” I turned to look at Connor, pointedly avoiding Amaia.

“The safehouse. It’s practically a fortress. But you know, that don’t you? Well, you should know that Clay and I need to go investigate a lead.”

“A warehouse?” Nines looked at me pointedly and he spoke. “Amaia heard about it too.”

“Good we’re all on the same page. We can’t take Cassie with us. I just don’t feel she’s ready for something like that. She and Amaia can stay at the safehouse.”

“Cassie?” Gavin’s disbelief speared me. The unspoken words hung in the air.

“I won’t hurt her. If Cara wants me to protect her, I’ll do everything I can to keep her safe. Connor clearly cares about her, so I care about her. I wouldn’t hurt her.” Cassie spoke quietly but boy did her words packed a punch.

“It’s alright kid, I just think we were all surprised that she’d leave you alone again.” Hank’s voice was soothing but conveyed a deep pride in Cassie. I smiled to myself.

“I don’t want to leave her but if this truly is the center of operations, I don’t think that we should bring her into the lion’s den. Amaia clearly needs a protector, Cassie is more than capable of doing that. She understands that a pack protects their weakest and most vulnerable. We protect her but if we have another member of the pack that needs protection, she understands that that’s what we do.” I didn’t speak for anyone other than Amaia. She was the one that needed the confirmation that she would in fact be safe, that we were different than those that had hurt her.

“Maybe Cassie should come over here so she and Amaia can get to know each other. We need to discuss the steps moving forward.”  Connor stood slowly and Amaia quickly looked for comfort. Hank came to sit next to her on the couch and she seemed to calm slightly.

“Go on Cassie, go sit next to Hank and y’all can chat.” Cassie hesitate but a moment before getting up to sit next to Hank. Connor made his way to our side as Gavin and Nines gathered closer.

“So, the warehouse, Cassie saw it. Was in it briefly but she was there. She didn’t see much but given what I was able to gather, I think I know where it is, and it makes perfect sense. Not far from where Maxus and Adam were. About 1.5 miles away.”

“That matches what Amaia had heard. I think that’s where we’ll find the rest of the missing persons.” Connor nodded, determined to end this.

“We’ve got a couple of customized jeeps. They’re able to house and transport wolves safely. We’d like to try to save as many of them as possible. If they can be saved, we want to try.” I nodded at Clay’s statement.

“That however doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use deadly force if necessary. I’m sure there are some of them that will be too far gone, too wolf, to be saved. Those will need to be exterminated.” I locked eyes with Connor, making sure he understood what we were getting into.

“And how the hell are we getting those beasts into the cars? Just ask them nicely?” Gavin snorted, and I smiled at him.

“In a way. Obviously, there’s got to be some alpha wolf in charge. These guys were acting as a pack. A dysfunctional as all fuck pack, but a pack.” I let out a frustrated breath. “Someone is obviously calling the shots and that person has the alpha wolf under their control. Depending on where their loyalty lies, and how strong it is, I might be able to get them all to follow me instead.” Nines nodded before speaking.

“If you can’t then what? We exterminate them?”

“We won’t have a choice. Because if they hold loyal to whoever has been making them do this, they’ll see me as an intruder and they’ll come after me and whoever they perceive as…an intruder.” I paused, about to say pack but I didn’t want to needlessly concern Cassie or Amaia.

“When do you want to strike?” It was Clay that asked but I knew this would have to be a team decision.

“I would say it would be best to strike as soon as possible.” Connor was set, he wanted this done.

“Is it smart to go tonight? Just sayin’ I can’t phcking see at night like most of you can. Plus, from what I know, wolves hunt at night.” Gavin looked at me as if to confirm.

“Yeah, we can see better at night. It’s easier to sneak on our prey too. Night is truly our domain.” I wanted to make it clear who would have the advantage if things went south.

“Night is not ideal then. Should we plan for the morning?” Nines was just as eager as Connor.

“No, they’d likely still be filtering in or fully awake and aware from the night before. I would prefer we tried to do this around midafternoon. Gives us enough time to prepare for this and gives them enough time to settle in for the day. Since they’ve been so active at night, I would assume that they’ve been resting during the day.” I began to fidget with a small pocket knife I had.

“I’m assuming you’ll want us to regroup at the safehouse?” Hank’s voice from behind us had me turning to face him. Cassie and Amaia were sitting next to each other, chatting away. Amaia still looked nervous but seemed to have at least grown comfortable with Cassie.

“I think it would be best. That way we can leave the girls there and head out. Although I wouldn’t say we should all head out together. Just in case. If we were to head out in teams, we might be safer. I hate to say that because I don’t want us separating. I don’t want to immediately leave them alone.” I looked away from Hank and back to the others.

“Well, I’m not fit for this kind of field work, I think I outta stay with the girls. Be another layer of protection.” Hank wasn’t saying that for us, his downward glance made that much clear. Amaia was still wary. After a moment, I nodded.

“That might be a good idea. It’ll help the girls keep calm.” No one objected. But that left us in an odd predicament.

“We’d cover more ground if we went in different routes as separate teams. This leaves us uneven.” Connor looked to Gavin and Nines.

“I don’t think it would help anyone if we had Gavin and Nines on separate teams. No offense guys but I know how hard it can be to focus when you don’t have direct eyes on someone you care about.” Clay looked at them before looking to me. “Another thing we need to think about is offering the best protection for the most vulnerable.”

“Phck off bitch. I can handle myself. But…you’re right, I’m definitely the weakest and slowest of all of us.” Nines took Gavin’s hand and I noticed a blue ring with black detailing on his finger. I smiled before looking away.

“Gavin, I think we should be sure you have double protection.” Nines landed his icy gaze on me as I spoke.

“I have to agree. Clay could definitely add another layer of protection.” Nines was interrupted by Connor.

“With all do respect, Clay, Nines, I think you’d be better off with Cara sticking with Gavin. We’ve all realized it, she’s the Nines of the wolf world.” Connor’s brown eyes softened as he spoke.

“Clay works well with everyone, but I have to agree with Connor. Gavin would be safer with me watching his back. Anything goes wrong, I will be able to protect him better.” I continued to fidget as I talked.

“As much as it pains me, I have to agree Nines. Cara, she’s faster, stronger and better at protecting than I am.” Clay looked directly at Nines as he spoke.

“I guess it’s settled then. Cara, Gavin and I will make up one team, Connor and Clay will make up the other.” Nines did not seem happy with this situation, but it was what we could do.

“Cara?” Cassie’s broken whisper cut through everything as I felt the air almost quiver. I turned to her and carefully made my way towards her. Amaia instantly startled and I watched Connor come to her side.

“Cassie, you’re okay. You’re fine. Just breathe.” I kept my voice soothing and slow. I crept over to her and put my hands on her knees. I could feel her body vibrating beneath my hands. All she could do was whine as her body shook. I took a deep breath and brought my hands to her face, forcing her to look at me. “Cassie, it’s just the pull of the moon. You’re okay. Breathe through it and let it go. You don’t have to shift. You’re okay.”

I continued my whispers to her until she stopped shaking beneath my touch. As she finally settled, the room came back to me. I felt the deep tension in the room and pulled Cassie to me. I held her there as she took comfort in my presence.

“Sorry guys, new wolves sometimes struggle with being in a new place so close to the full moon.” Clay was trying to settle everyone but what happened next really quieted everyone. Amaia slipped from Connor’s arms and knelt next to us. She touched Cassie’s arm gently.

“Are you okay Cassie?” With those words the room breathed the breath everyone was holding. I smiled as Cassie nodded. I released her, and the two girls settled back into chatter. I stepped away and looked at Hank who had the biggest, smuggest look on his face.

“Well Hank, hope you’re ready to have some daughters.” He let out a short laugh as he looked at the girls. Connor was smiling at Amaia as she chatted with Cassie. The light glimmering in his eyes as he watched her shouted his thoughts. I shook my head and found my gaze on Gavin and Nines as they murmured to each other. I resolved to end this no matter the cost. These people deserved a good life. My gaze shifted once more, and my heart skipped a beat as I saw Clay chatting with Hank. We all deserved a good life.


	16. It's Over...Right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to close this up. Can Cara and the gang get this over and done without a mess or will they end up more tangled than before?

It was morning and I was restless. I had an itch that just wouldn’t stop between my shoulder blades. My skin felt tight. I felt prickling all over me. I couldn’t sit still. Clay just watched me. He didn’t say anything as he watched me pace about the house. He didn’t say a word as I slammed the door to the bathroom to shower. As the water pounded against me, I felt my muscles relax slightly. I allowed the water to turn to ice as it cut through me. I let out a long breath and stepped out, my muscles coiling almost instantly. I toweled off and dressed in comfortable clothing. Something still suitable for the day ahead.

As I stepped out, Clay brushed passed me. The spark of lightning that cascaded through me left a shiver in its wake. He didn’t stop or slow, muscles moving fluidly as her marched on. I followed him downstairs and we sat at the kitchen table. Peace shrouded us for a moment as our coffee was sipped in measured swallows. I drummed my fingers on the table and Clay quirked an eyebrow at me. I mumbled an apology as Cassie came to sit with us. She was all bubbly and happy this morning. A tornado of happy energy that I had grown accustom to.

“So, today’s the day.” Clay sat back, the picture of relaxation captured in this moment. An Adonis at rest before me. We both wore dark cargo pants with our holsters already in place. We had our secrets but weren’t about to share those. Those were ours alone. I pushed up the sleeves of my long-sleeved top, feeling the knife I kept hidden shift as I did. While in the bra wasn’t the most comfortable place, it was safe.

“It ends today by the blessing of our goddess.” I felt jittery. I just wanted this over. I wanted to be on a plane back home. I didn’t want to be in Detroit right now.

“You sure you’re okay with protecting Reed?” Clay drummed his knuckles on the table once before settling back to look at me again.

“With my life. He and Nines deserve that wedding.” I didn’t know why I cared about them so much, but I did. Maybe it was all the near-death experiences we’d had together.

“They’re pack now. You haven’t even realized it, but you’ve pulled them all into our pack. We protect them like we would our own. I just hope they return the favor.” With that Clay stood and walked away. I furrowed my brow. _Could he be right?_ And the more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right. I don’t know when it had happened, but I had included them into our pack without a second thought. I accepted them as if they were our own. Today we’d see if this went both ways.

 

I spent most of the day fidgeting and pacing. I checked and rechecked my weapons. I planned and planned. I didn’t know how this would go. My wolf was practically chomping at the bit. She was ready to hunt. The problem was, this wasn’t our city for me to turn her loose on. Still she urged me to let her hunt. Still I resisted. When the time came, the jeeps were ready to roll, and I was fully prepared. We had three jeeps total. My hope they’d be coming back full. I stood at the backyard window, gazing out at a chilly Detroit. The snow still clung to the cityscape. The clouds that gathered gave me the feeling of more snow. I hoped it would blizzard soon.

The door sounded with a knock and Cassie scampered to open it. I didn’t move. I bowed my head, closed my eyes and offered a silent prayer for us. As everyone filtered in, Clay descended the stairs. He watched at me for a moment as he passed. I didn’t say a word as he passed. He knew the plans. He could give them. I resumed my stare out the window. Hank came to stand next to me, his face captured in the reflection as he approached.

“Ya know, I never woulda thought I’d be caring for anyone else. Then Connor came along, all hapless and clueless. He showed me that there’s more to life than what I see. Course then he goes and drags Nines with him. Then you and these girls just show up, practically on my doorstep. I know that face Cara. That stare. Just don’t do anything stupid out there, ya hear?” I smiled as the weight of his hand descended on my shoulder. I breathed out a silent laugh as I smiled, all the while nodding.

“You’re a great dad, Hank. Connor is lucky to have you and Reed better be terrified of you.” I placed a gentle hand on Hank’s. The labor rough skin beneath my hand a gentle reminder of his age.

“Gavin would never hurt Nines. I still gotta keep the threat there though.” His gentle smile reminded me of a father I had long ago said good bye to.

“Hank, we’re all gonna need to talk when this is over.” Hank quirked his lips into a half smile before offering a small nod. “Sure kid, whatever ya want.”

I walked back with Hank as we all discussed the final details of the plan. Once we were done, we’d come back here first. Then the precinct. One last crack of the joints and I deemed us ready to go. Cassie stood, proud and alert just behind us. I pulled her in close and touched our foreheads together before I pressed a kiss to her forehead. She nodded as she retreated a few steps. I nodded to Hank and walked out the door.

Gavin and I rode in one jeep. Silence prevailed the whole ride through. When we pulled up about a block away, I stopped Gavin with a hand on his arm.

“No matter what happens to me, you run got it? You get the hell outta here and get back to Nines.” He looked from my hand to my face before exiting the car without another word. I pulled my glock from its holster and took point as we approached. Nines soon fell into step behind Gavin. Gavin’s ring had been left in the Jeep and I noted Nines didn’t have his on either as we flanked the door. It was still funny how I noted the most insignificant things when out hunting. I didn’t hear anything as we stood there. Nines shook his head before moving to open the door.

We had made sure everyone had earpieces in before this. Mine, felt heavy, cumbersome. I knew it was my wolf who was now panting, wanting out. I held her in check as we eased inside. Despite the daylight outside, the building was not bright. There were lights, but we couldn’t turn them on without announcing our presence. Thankfully it was not dark to the point where Gavin would have trouble seeing.

I kept my gun raised and at the ready, the front room may have been empty but that didn’t meat something else wasn’t lurking somewhere. As the paths split, we had a hard decision: stay together and take more time or split. Connor and Clay would be working their way up to us from the back of the building, I wondered if they were having a similar dilemma. It was Gavin that made up our minds for us. He shook his head at Nines as he tried to follow him.

 _I’ll keep him safe Nines, with my life. I swear to you._ Nines nodded tersely at me before moving down the opposite hall. We seemed to walk forever, finding nothing, hearing nothing. I only scented wolf that was perhaps a day old. Nothing recent. My frustrations grew with each step, but I kept myself in check. We entered a larger hallway and I scented blood. Blood and the smell of death. Decay had begun to set in, but it wasn’t overwhelming. I suggested that I take point and Gavin instantly fell back. I pushed a door open slowly as we moved forward.

The door led to a large room, very well lit. Cages lined the outer perimeter. In the center, a motionless pile of fur. Gavin and I kept our senses up and cleared the room before I knelt next to the body. I buried a hand in ashen fur as Gavin walked around to stand in front of me. I smoothed my hands down its head and neck. I breathed a small sigh and fisted my hands in its fur.

“I’m sorry.” My ears picked up the quietest click as I whispered. I dove at Gavin knocking him to the ground as a bullet buried itself in my shoulder. I yanked him up and started shoving him. He stumbled but a moment before turning to run. The bullets pinged down around us. Gavin and I ducked into a hallway as a bullet grazed my calf. I drew my gun as Gavin and I made our way up the stairs. I kept my ears alert. I brought my hand up to pull the bullet out of my shoulder. We rushed up the stairs and rounded the corner. Creeping along, I listened for sounds of approach, of anything. _Where the hell was everyone? Where was Nines?_ Gavin took point again as we checked the rooms.

I heard shuffling just beyond a door and I motioned Gavin over. On a silent signal we charged the room. Gavin quickly disposed of the individual with the gun. I focused my gaze on the wolf crouched nearby. I tried to reach out mentally to it and found silence. I tried for Clay and more silence greeted me. I tried for Nines and started to turn.

“Gavin it’s a trap. Move!” I took his hand as we charged back downstairs the wolf hot on our tail. I pushed Gavin ahead of me, I could at least take on a wolf. “You have to radio Nines!” I keep running, Gavin ahead of me.

“On it.” We burst back into the large room we had been in except now there were wolves. Gavin froze as we entered the room. Three prowling wolves greeted us. I shoved Gavin behind me, keeping myself between him and the three wolves. As the last one entered Gavin drew one of my guns from my holster. I knew how these wolves would attack, overwhelm the strongest, to separate the weakest. I growled, baring my teeth.

“Gavin, I’m going to open a path and you’re gonna run for it.” I kept my voice low so only he would hear, the earpieces weren’t working, just fucking perfect. He fired off a warning shot at the paws of one wolf that crept too close.

“Not a chance.” The steel in his voice barely masked the fear I smelt.

“I’ll be right behind you. You need to run.” A wolf lunged forward, and I caught it, tossing it off to one side, knocking over another. I shoved Gavin from behind me, moving into the path of the oncoming wolves. “Go!” He bolted, the wolves ready to give chase. I turned tail and ran after him. His figure sprinting ahead, I heard the wolves snapping and snarling at each other as they bounded after us.

As I rounded the corner and froze. Gavin was face down on the floor, not moving. I started towards him and felt my body ignite, the “Gavin” dying on my lips as I collapsed. I started to rise despite the deep convulsions wracking my body.

“Heel!” A voice rang out behind me as the wolves clambered in. I heard their paws scrabble for purchase as they heeded the command. The sharp sting in my neck was the last thing I felt before the world turned black.


	17. Tangled up in Webs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walked right into that trap didn't you, Cara? Can Nines keep his cool? With Nines on the outside, can he find Gavin before time runs out?

The pounding of my head along with the rumbling of a car beneath it is what woke me. I groaned, trying to bring my hands up to my face, but found then bound behind my back. Looking around I saw Gavin sitting not far away. His eyes blazed with fury, the gag in his mouth wet with saliva. I started to roll but felt a hand palm my head before slamming it down into the floor. The world blinked out again.

 

Groaning as the world came back to me, my head felt like I’d gone five rounds with a car. I tested my arms and found them still bound tightly. I started to lift my head but laid it back as the pain intensified. I felt a foot gently tap my back.

“Hey, you awake?” Gavin gravelly voice beckoned me to consciousness. I groaned as I rolled, pulling my knees beneath me. “Hey, don’t try to stand up, you’ll hit you head.” I had started to rise when Gavin warned me. We were in one of those cages. This one would barely be able to house me and Gavin if I shifted into a wolf. I sat back instead, turning so I could look at Gavin. He looked okay, only a couple of cuts and scrapes here and there.

“You okay Gav?” Talking hurt like a bitch but I needed to communicate. Each word sending pulses of pain radiating down my neck and up my skull even as I pushed myself to ensure Gavin was okay.

“Yeah, I’m okay, bastards were less gentle with you though. How’s your head?” His hands, bound in front of him, clenched into fists. I could scent the anger that billowed off of him. Thick and toxic it consumed the space between us.

“I’m okay, hurts, but I’m okay. Really.” I moved to sit next to him. The bars of the cage dug into my arms and back, but I felt better being next to Gavin. The room we were in was large and dimly lit.

“Any word from anyone?” Gavin knew the answer already, his tone and posture indicated it all.

“No.” I shook my head slightly and almost winced at the pain. “We’re on our own.”

 

NINES

 

I crept down the halls, checking everything. I kept scanning and scanning. It was when the hallways began to twist and turn into a maze that I realized something was wrong. I turned back. I sprinted. I tried to reach Cara, Clay, Connor, anyone at all as I sprinted. I raced back but found the hallways I’d just been in were the same as a few moments ago. Panic fogged my inner workings. I pushed down my panic and scanned. I followed my scanners and finally found myself out.

I raced up the way Gavin and Cara had gone. I moved quickly and found a large room with a decaying wolf at the center. Clay’s wolf bounded in shortly after, his breath huffing out, Connor shortly behind. I froze. I shoved passed them, yelling.

“Gavin! Gavin!” I frantically searched and searched but the whole building was empty. I went outside to where we had come in. Clay was kneeling there. I scanned and saw tracks leading away from here. I took off at a sprint, when I got to the main road it became impossible to follow. I looked and looked, hoping something would help. I hacked into the cameras, but nothing was seen.

“Nines, Nines you have to calm down. Your stress levels are dangerously high. Gavin needs you and if you stress yourself out, you can’t help him.” Connor’s voice was soft behind me. Ever the negotiator. But he was right. I needed to stay calm and focused. Gavin needed me. I turned and walked passed Connor, back towards the building.

Clay was still kneeling, his eyes were closed, his body shaking. He stood, looking up at I approached. His eyes shone with hatred and anger. He stood, and we looked at each other. He didn’t back down when I crowded into his space, reminding him he was one wolf against two androids, but I could tell he wanted to. “As of now, I’m the acting alpha.” He paused before looking down. When he looked back up at me, I saw something I couldn’t place. “But I’ll follow you Nines.” He bowed his head slightly as he spoke. I nodded, and we began combing through the building again. Something to tell us where they could be.

 

We drove back to the safehouse in the three separate jeeps. I had taken the Jeep Cara and Gavin had left. His ring was on the dash. I took it and held it tight. The emptiness of the jeeps seemed to be gnawing at all of us. We parked, opened our doors before we slowly made our way to the front door. Connor walked in first, Clay shortly behind.  I stood in the doorway for a moment before stepping in and closing the door.

“Fuckin hell. What the hell happened?” Hank knew things had gone wrong. He saw it in our faces. Cassie looked at all our faces before settling on Clay’s. Her mouth gaped, and she let out a small whine. Amaia looked scared. The biggest protector they had, was lost. I had failed Gavin. The lack of his blood at the scene made me at least believe that Gavin was alive, and she was keeping him safe.

“It was a trap. They knew we were coming. The place was a maze. It was a trap to take her. I think Gavin was meant to keep her in check. They knew she’d be protecting any humans that came with us. If Hank had come…” Clay let his words drift. _They would have him too._ I knew the wolves would protect the humans over us. We had senses that gave us an edge, humans were on their own.

“There are signs that there were multiple wolves that funneled them into a room with easy access outside. They incapacitated them and loaded them into a car. They had to have been unconscious because there’s no signs of a struggle. Except for the earpieces, one crushed in the room they were funneled into. There were no fingerprints, leading us to believe all of the present were either wolves or androids. There was an android upstairs, Gavin shot it. Unfortunately, his bullet lodged into the memory core. We have no leads on this and they’re out there somewhere.” I closed my eyes and sank into a chair, Gavin’s ring in my hand still. I had taught him well when it came to destroying android threats and it had blown up in my face.

“Cameras were not helpful in tracking them. There were no traces of the wolves outside of the building. Meaning they had to have been taken out through another vehicle. But there were no other tracks anywhere.” Connor was pacing as he spoke.

“The car wasn’t a car at all. It had to be big enough to house all of them. Four wolves, Cara, Gavin and a few others. It had to be a big truck. But quiet.” Clay had Cassie curled up beside him. She seemed in shock. His arm was protectively draped over her. I was still clutching Gavin’s ring in my hand, my ring back on my finger where it belonged.

“A Cyberlife truck.” Connor stopped, a smile on his face. I looked at him and thought about it. That made sense. The cameras had been hacked then, no Cyberlife truck had been visible.

“Any reports of stolen trucks?” Clay was enthusiastic now. Connor and I scanned for reports of one and found four reports. Two had been located. Two had not.

“Two with still unknown locations.” I began scanning, wondering if it could be this easy to find them.

“I have to make a phone call. By now, things are bound to have reached the wrong people and I need to do damage control.” Clay stood, pulling his phone out of his pocket before walking to the kitchen.

I got an incoming alert from Chloe and cursed silently. I didn’t dare dismiss the alert, but I didn’t want to respond either. I closed my eyes and opened the message.

_Elijah caught word that Gavin is missing. What’s going on?_

_Chloe, I don’t want to know how he knows about this already. Especially considering we submitted a report to the DPD about 15 minutes ago that should be classified. Yes, Gavin is MIA and we’re working on finding him. Please assure Elijah that everything is under control._

_You know that’s only going to stall him for a few minutes. He’ll be at your door in no time._

_I’m not home._

_Nines just send the coordinates, so Elijah doesn’t start a scene at the station._

_Coordinates incoming._

I frowned unsure if doing that had been the right choice, but Elijah deserved to be here too. He was Gavin’s only surviving family after all. But Elijah Kamski was also a force of nature to be reckoned with. I could hear Clay arguing with someone over the phone before he hung up angrily. He strode back into the living room, running a frustrated hand through tousled hair.

“We’ve got company in town and we’ve got to get this mess sorted before they’re forced to step in.” Clay’s gold flecked eyes glowered at the window for a moment.  

“Alright, let’s go over the information we have.” We all turned to Hank as he spoke.

“We know a stolen Cyberlife truck was likely used to transport Gavin and Cara out of the building after being incapacitated. The persons in the building were wolves and androids. Evidence points to at least three wolves, possibly four.”

“Clay and I swept through the whole building we didn’t find anything out of place.” Then I thought back to one out of place detail. Clay had mentioned the slightest scent of the ocean. “Clay you smelled ocean. We can start there. The harbors. A warehouse maybe.”

“No, not a warehouse. A ship. It would be easier to keep noises from being reported and easier to contain wolves. Plus, it would be out of the way.” Clay paused, hesitant to continue. “Wolves, we sink. We can’t easily swim as wolves. Our fur combined with our density, makes it impossible to swim.”

“You can’t swim?” Hank looked absolutely baffled.

“If it’s not crazy deep, we’re fine. An ocean? Especially with a dive off a ship, out of the question.”

“So, some ship must be their headquarters.” Connor and I analyzed the database for any ships that might be our target. Soon we had three possible ships. Ample size but not currently owned by a known company. A knock at the door had everyone pausing. Clay didn’t rise to answer it immediately. He strolled to the door as he drew his weapon. He kept the gun at his side as he opened the door.

“Well I’ll be damned. Never thought I’d meet you in person. Come in.” Clay stepped aside, and Elijah strode in, Chloe behind him. She shot me an apologetic look as they entered.

“Kamski, the fuck are you doing here? How did you even know to come here?” Hank was no fan of Elijah and I knew why. Connor had told me about the incident with one of the other Chloes.

“Anderson, how I got here isn’t important.” I stood, and Chloe rushed into my arms. I hugged her tightly before releasing her. She hugged Connor tightly before stepping away.

“Elijah, you should sit.” I didn’t look at the rest of the room as I spoke. He watched me with sharp eyes before turning to Chloe.

“Chloe why don’t you and the other girls go and chat. Is there a place they can chat?” Clay was caught off guard by the question. He nodded and directed them upstairs. Amaia tossed several glances at Connor as Chloe took her upstairs with Cassie.

“Mind explaining son?” Hank’s question made me wince slightly. He knew something was out of place but didn’t outright confront me.

“Hank, I can’t.” I turned, helpless, as both Elijah and I sat.

“Bullshit, what the fuck is going on? Connor you know about this?” Connor’s LED blinked yellow for a moment before settling at Hank’s rising voice.

“Hank, are you really that blind? I have the advantage of more sensitive senses but still. It’s there. Plain as day.” Clay sat back, eying Elijah with interest.

“What the fuck are you…” Hank’s voice trailed off as he looked at Elijah, this time searching before realization crept into his face. “Well shit. I knew I saw it before. You pricks are brothers.”

“Lieutenant, we don’t have time for this. It’s not important and I would prefer we focus on the task at hand.” Elijah leaned forward and looked Hank right in the eye.

“Kamski, I understand your concern, but you really shouldn’t be here.” Connor was doing what he did best, negotiate.

“Connor, all of you have been acting outside of the law for some time now. I say we let the genius over here hang out. Who knows, maybe he can help. Plus, I have a feeling he knows more than he’s letting on. That kind of brain power, there’s more to you isn’t there, Kamski?“ Clay let Elijah’s surname roll of his tongue with emphasis, his eyes smug, and I decided it was best not to pry.

“Maybe there is. Now is not the time. Gavin. He’s been missing for some time now and I’m not about to let him stay missing. What do we know?” I quickly filled him in and he sat back, deep in thought.

“We’ve narrowed it down to three possible ships. There’s a smaller ship closer to the main road-“

“No, they wouldn’t want their wolves running loose that close to a main road.” Elijah cut me off, but we hadn’t mentioned anything about wolves. Clay’s lips twitched into an amused smile.

“Elijah, no one said anything about wolves. Mind explaining yourself?” Clay leaned forward, bracing his arms on his knees. Amusement still on his face, but intensity burning in his eyes.

“I-I…I knew a wolf when I was in school. You have his eyes.” Clays eyes narrowed before he sat back.

“Native man?”

“Yes, he taught me a lot of things and showed me into your world. I swore to keep it secret.”

“Fuckin’ da, helped one of the greatest minds of the century. Figures he’d have a hand in this.” Clay shook his head and snorted. He sat back once more. His posture signaling the end of the conversation.

“There’s a larger freighter that has been docked in the harbor for several years. Almost as long as Jericho was in the harbor. And a larger freighter that has been there for only a year or so.” I continued after the exchange.

“The newer one wouldn’t draw attention if people were coming and going. The newer ones however would be easier to hack into since it would have newer tech onboard. The older one is our best bet.” Elijah had just narrowed it down to one ship. Connor and Hank attempted to argue but Elijah kept giving more and more reasons. Finally, we agreed, it would be best to focus there. The night was already closing but we had a lead. We had a place to start with, but the clock was against us. The next night would be the full moon.


	18. Rewind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giving some pause and taking a peek into Clay's brain.

CLAY

 

It was the lack of sound and the repeating scents that keyed me into thinking something was wrong. It was the stillness that all but confirmed it. Connor seemed to have the same realization as we doubled back. I scented as we ran. When we came to a door along the hall, I scented a strong odor of decay. I stopped and shoved at the door. Connor gave me a look before we both backed up. We slammed against the door and sent it flying open.

I shifted quickly, and we searched quickly but quietly. We came to an open room and saw Nines across the open expanse. He brushed past us and ran the way we came. I set about searching this area. I found Gavin’s scent and followed it. The trail stopped outside, a set of tire tracks leading away. I sniffed frantically, hoping to find some other trace. I came up empty. I returned to the building and shifted, pulling on clothing I had found. I went back outside and knelt by the tire tracks.

I couldn’t believe this had happened. I was vaguely aware of Nines barreling past, following the tracks. I felt my body shaking as I desperately tried to reach out to Cara. I hoped she would answer. My hope was met with silence and hopelessness. I closed my eyes and felt my body shudder. She wasn’t dead, I hadn’t felt her die. But with her MIA, I had to step up. But could I really do this? I didn’t even want to be in Detroit. I had failed my alpha.

I was aware of Nines and stood. I had to get my pack members back. I would make whoever took them pay if my pack was harmed. I glared into Nines’ eyes. Where the hell was, he? Why hadn’t he been with them? He crowded into my space and my wolf wanted to back down. I was shocked but held my ground. “As of now, I’m the acting alpha.” I dropped my gaze and thought about what I was about to do. I lifted my head and looked to Nines with resignation, hope and submission. “But I’ll follow you Nines.” My head bowed beneath the submission. With a brisk nod, we set back to searching the building.

I kept my human form, unwilling to be in pain so soon again. I kept trying to reach Cara, but I got nothing at all. I scented the building carefully. I smelled a few different wolves. Not a single one I knew though. That meant we were dealing with totally new wolves. Nines and Connor found the android that had been dispatched upstairs while I searched the outside of the building. Near the access where presumably the transport had pulled up, was the barest hint of sea breeze. I smelled something else there but nothing helpful.

The fuck would a sea breeze mean? The truck came from close to the ocean? That was nuts, that was a long drive. No way they could keep Cara subdued that long, right? A wicked chill went up my spine causing all the hair on my neck to stand on end. I hoped they were okay. As we concluded our search, Nines found the keys to the Jeep inside the larger room. Along with their earpieces. He walked away without a word. We drove back in separate cars. I couldn’t stop thinking about Cara. What was I going to do if she didn’t come back?

I pushed back the tears I felt welling up and focused on what we could do to get her back. Her and Gavin. I knew Gavin would be almost guaranteed to come back safely. I knew Cara would give her life to see him back with Nines. I didn’t blame her. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. Before I knew it, we were back at the house. We approached the door without a word, Connor went in first, I followed. I avoided eyes as I entered. When Nines entered, Hank spoke up.

“It was a trap. They knew we were coming. The place was a maze. It was a trap to take her. I think Gavin is more to keep her in check. They knew she’d be protecting any humans that came with us. If Hank had come…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence. That would have left Cassie alone here. I sat on the couch as they continued to talk about what had happened. I pulled Cassie to me and she curled into my side. I offered her what comfort I could. Connor paced about as he spoke, and my mind flew to other possibilities. We continued to discuss even as I thought about the possibility that we had attracted the wrong kinds of attention. Our names would have popped up almost immediately when we made our way into the DPD. I excused myself to make the phone call before I could let this get further. Once in the kitchen, I held the phone to my ear. It rang twice before a low voice came on the line.

“Clayton.”

“Sterling.” I kept my voice even and tried to hear passed the phone’s static. The sound of air rushing passed told me he was likely in a car. Was there anyone else in the car? I couldn’t hear anyone else. Good.

“You’re in Detroit. Glad you called ahead. I’m actually about to enter the city.”

“We didn’t expect to be here this long. This was supposed to be a two-day round trip.”

Sterling chuckled. “When do you ever? You hardly ever are at fault, right? I’ll be in Detroit in a few hours. I expect to meet up with you two Clayton. I’m surprised you called and not Cara. Let me talk to her Clayton.” I could hear the bored droll of his voice as if he was next to me.

“She’s busy. That’s why I’m calling.” The lie sat awkwardly in my stomach.

“I don’t care. She’s your queen. Not mine. Put her on the line.” His voice felt like a blade through the line.

“Fuck off Sterling. She doesn’t have time to talk to you.”

“Where is she Clayton?” His voice was quiet and lethal after a brief pause.

“In Detroit.” I wasn’t lying. I hoped at least.

“In Detroit.” He hummed in the pause. He chose not to push further, “The lines in Detroit are already blurred. Let’s make sure cleanup is done right. You know by now that need to check in with me every time something like this happens damnit. The last thing I need is more missing supernaturals on my watch.”

“Listen, we’re doing our best. We ran into issues we weren’t expecting. It’s not like we intended to infiltrate the DPD. I told you, complications came up that made it necessary. Believe it or not this is damage control.” I kept my eyes trained on the outside of the window. I could still see my golden eyes reflected there despite my best efforts.

“Complications, Clayton, are not something we can afford in Detroit. It’s been little over a year and you’re about to rip another hole in this shit if you don’t clean this up.” He spoke slow and deliberate.

“Well we’re doing our best. You think we intended to stumble right into the path of Cyberlife’s fucking mess? We never wanted to be involved in their shit.”

“You’re a fucking liar Clay. This is your best? Your best results in reports of an unknown officer getting struck by a vehicle? Mysterious animals running rampant in the city? We’ve been having to cover up far too many reports. The ever-growing body count in Detroit is not something we can’t continue to cover up. The dismissal of this can only keep going for so long and you know it. Clay, look man, my hands are tied. This needs to be cleaned up quickly and quietly. The sooner the better. Before someone finds out. Although, I expect it’s too late for that considering you’re in the DPD. That is another topic I don’t have time for.” Sterling barked a harsh laugh as he spoke.

“Don’t try to put that death count on us. Your people are closer. You could’ve stepped in a lot quicker and sooner.”

“And you’d all have come baring your fangs, snarling and snapping we had no right to.”

“Maxus and Adam are dead god damnit. We’re doing our fucking best.”

“Fuck.” the curse was harsh. A crack of a whip. Emotion cracking through the professional air, “I’m sorry Clay.”

“Yeah, well get off my back then.”

“Clay, you know I can’t. Just get this done okay? You don’t want us having to intervene. I don’t want to intervene either.” His voice stayed even, but his regret was evident.

“You don’t need to threaten me Sterling. I know. Things just got really out of hand. ” My voice was practically a growl at this point.

“My hands are tied Clay. The attention on Detroit can’t continue. Your people’s intervention in the legal investigations after the revolution did enough. I can stall but I doubt there will be much…tolerance. There are still raw feelings after the interventions and changes after what Markus did. I can probably only buy you until tomorrow. I’ll have to step in after that. I still want to meet with the two of you.” I could hear the frustration.

“That is fucking bullshit Sterling. We can’t afford a full-on investigation. Detroit can’t afford a full-on investigation. You know better than anyone that an investigation would just put more people in the line of fire.”

“Figure it out Clay. I’ve done what I can.” I ended the call with a curse. We needed to end this now. I walked back into the kitchen with building frustration.  “We’ve got company in town and we’ve got to get this mess sorted before they’re forced to step in.”

I was beyond pissed at the extra stress on the situation. I angrily hung my head as we continued to talk. When the talk of warehouses came up associated with the sea scent, I knew what we were really looking for. When I explained the bit about werewolves and water, Hank scoffed with disbelief.

“You can’t swim?” I sighed before I explained the fine details of a werewolf’s ability to ‘swim’ to everyone. Hank seemed entirely too amused by the situation. As we again got to discussing the possible locations where Gavin and Cara could be, I felt weird and realized I hadn’t taken off any of my gear. A knock at the door had us all quiet. We all froze for a moment before I slowly got up and drew my gun. I strolled to the door and paused for only a heartbeat before I opened the door.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Before me stood the one and only Elijah Kamski. Beside him, a tight smile on her face, stood his beloved Chloe. I holstered my gun as I gave them a once over. “Never thought I’d meet you in person. Come in.” I stepped aside and watched as Elijah sauntered in. As Chloe passed me, she bowed her head slightly. Hank immediately furrowed his brow at their entrance. I watched Chloe rush into Nines’ arms as Elijah responded to Hank’s cold welcome.

As Chloe hugged Connor tightly, Nines invited Elijah to sit. One whiff and glance at Kamski told me how he ended u on my doorstep. The way Nines and Kamski looked at one another confirmed what I suspected. I realized that Hank hadn’t the slightest clue that Kamski was here with family business. I eyed the situation with curiosity. I was caught off guard and momentarily yanked out of my thoughts as Elijah asked me if the girls could go talk elsewhere. I directed them upstairs. Cassie watched Chloe curiously as they went upstairs.

I took a seat as Hank questioned the others. I almost smiled at the lieutenant. I guess it would be clear soon enough. Nines winced at the pointed question. I could only assume why someone like Gavin had never divulged that Kamski was his brother. But had they truly never been around each other and Hank? I watched the androids struggle with their secret only a moment before I spoke.

“Hank are you really that blind? I have the advantage of sensitive senses but still. It’s there. Plain as day.” I couldn’t help but watch Elijah with deep interest as I sank back into my seat. His face revealed nothing as he watched me. His eyes were sharp and focused. I caught the flicker in his eyes before he covered it up.  

I observed Hank as sudden comprehension danced across his features. As the word brothers left his lips, I chuckled quietly to myself. I appreciated the sharp edge to Elijah as he redirected Hank to more pressing matters. His posture and curtness screamed at my wolf. Kamski may be good at playing humans but wolves were another matter entirely. I wondered what Elijah was hiding. Clearly the bastard knew far more than he was letting on. I didn’t miss the way his eyes had initially widened, almost invisibly, when I opened the door. I didn’t miss his small glances as me and the way he was sure to be smaller than me. I allowed my amusement and curiosity to escalate as Connor tried to negotiate Elijah out the door.

“Connor, all of you have been acting outside of the law for some time now. I say we let the genius over here hang out. Who knows, maybe he can help. Plus, I have a feeling he knows more than he’s letting on. That kind of brain power, there’s more to you isn’t there, Kamski.” I was beginning to think that perhaps Elijah had a bit more knowledge than he should. His nervousness coated my senses as the discussion continued.

A sly smile twitched onto my face as Kamski confirmed my suspicions, “Elijah, no one said anything about wolves. Mind explaining yourself?” Bracing my forearms on my knees, I lean forward. Heat burned in my eyes. I needed to know where Kamski had run into one of us.

“I-I…I knew a wolf when I was in school. You have his eyes.” I narrowed my eyes as I understood what Kamski had seen.

“Native man?” He had seen a familiar face. A face that didn’t make sense. As he confirmed my thoughts, I found myself in disbelief, “Fuckin’ da, helped one of the greatest minds of this century. Figures he’d have a hand in this.” Elijah looked at me bewildered. I invited no further discussion as I sat back. Of course, da had had his part to play in the development of one of the most brilliant minds to be in this lifetime. I wondered just how much part he had had in the development of the technology giant known as Cyberlife.

Nines continued back to the discussion as I pondered what exactly da had been thinking when he found and confided in a younger Elijah Kamski. I wondered what he saw in the young man. Da was always thinking ahead so I doubted he had just trusted Kamski on a whim. I saw a deep cunning in Elijah’s eyes. I also saw an unfathomable curiosity there. He clearly had something special about him that had called da. Had Da been watching Elijah for several years? Had he seen him and just observed him for a few months? What had possessed him to reveal himself to Elijah.

There was no denying the brilliance of Elijah’s mind. He had begun an empire at the age of 16. Gods, Cara had already been in her twenties by then. She had ascended to the throne a few years prior but what she had done as a human couldn’t hold a candle to Elijah’s accomplishments. We had been busy trying to restructure ourselves while Kamski was off creating blue blood. At 20, Kamski was an innovator and had already changed the world.

Da had always been in and out of my life but as time had progressed, fewer and fewer of his disappearances remained mysterious. Listening to Kamski’s superpowered brain work was truly amazing. It was watching him that spoke volumes of what da had seen. Kamski had a mind for survival and innovation. He was a leader and a pioneer. He saw in Kamski the promise of a better future. That’s why he hadn’t let Kamski disappear.

Kamski and Cara were pioneers to da’s new world. I was astounded by what I was seeing in front of me. Da had found people that suited his vision and he’d recruited them. Without any of us knowing. He hadn’t even really recruited anyone, just helped them unlock their full potential. In turn, they had found people that needed their full potential unlocked. It was a domino effect. He had always said trailblazers were only found among the young. Kamski was no exception but Da also saw something else.

As I listened to Kamski narrow down the possible ships and stood his ground, I saw it. I saw the grit and determination of a wolf in his body as he defended his conclusion. He had the sharp wit and strong will of any wolf. Da had seen a leader. An ally. A friend in Elijah. I wondered if da knew where Elijah was now. I wondered what he’d say if he saw us working together. Brothers united across a mutual presence in our lives. Him.


	19. Twisted sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cara and Gavin are thrust into a nightmare. What will Cara do when faced with a monster? Can she protect Gavin? Or will Gavin's mouth get him into boiling water?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so very sorry this has taken so long. I just wasn't happy with the final chapters and reworked the whole thing. Hope you enjoy.

CARA

 

I turned to Gavin and heard the door open. Taking a position in front of Gavin, I bared my teeth, a snarl rising from within me. A figure strode in, flanked by two others, a single wolf crept in behind them. It kept its eyes trained on the figures, its handlers, as it slunk along the wall. Its movements were more coyote than wolf. My snarl deepened, a sound purely wolf. I could feel my fangs grow slightly even as my eyes darted between them.

“Protective of your snack? Don’t worry, we’ll let you enjoy him.” I breathed in deeply drawing in scents. The heavy scent of thirium greeted me.

“Phck off tin can, I’m gonna kick your ass when I get out of here.” Gavin wisely stayed behind me. They approached the cage and one knelt. Her eyes gazed deeply into mine. I snarled again, fangs bared, jaws no longer fully coming together. I felt a familiar pop in my back and tried to tamper down.

“Now, now, wouldn’t want to do that. Might get a little tight around here.” She brought her hand up to her throat and that’s when I became aware of the heavy weight of the steel collar around my throat, loose but not loose enough for me to slip out of it or shift. That tampered me down really quick. Her hand shot out and caught the collar, hauling me roughly against the bars. As my face connected with the bars, I snarled as I was held there against the bars. The wolf snarled and snapped its jaws menacingly as Gavin made a move to come to my side.

“Gavin, no, it’s okay.” I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he settled back albeit reluctant. The door to the cage clicked open and I felt myself being yanked out. I was pushed to the ground roughly and I growled. The wolf came close to me and growled right in my face. As I moved to get right back in its face and show it what a real growl was made of, I stopped myself. I didn’t need to execute my death wish here of all places. Not with Gavin’s life on the line. A distinct clink snapped me out of my thoughts and as I tried to sit up, I found myself stopped short. A chain? Seriously? I pulled up gently and felt no give. With my arms behind me, I had no leverage to safely snap the chain.

“What’s the matter, puppy can’t sit up?” I yanked again and heard the chain groan in protest, but I wasn’t going to yank any harder, I might end up with a broken neck. The dull ache that pulsed in my neck attested to the strain I had already put it through.

“Motherfucker let her go. What ya get off on torturing women?” Gavin had his hands against the bars, yelling, trying to detract attention from me. I scooted back trying to pull out of this situation. I did what any animal would do, I tried to slide out of the collar. I twisted my head and pulled back carefully. Nothing gave way.

“I don’t. But I know someone who does.” A chill ran down my spine at the ominous tone. The hairs along my spine coming to attention as a malicious smile made my wolf come up to the forefront. She remained just below the surface, unable to fully manifest. I heard the door and I craned my neck to look. I felt the air leave my lungs and ice run through my veins. My muscles vapor locked. A violent shudder possessing my body. My wolf growled even as she ducked back. As my eyes widened, a click of the tongue had the wolf beside me slinking out the door. I had found the rogue alpha.

“Hello Cara, long time no see. Missed me?” His evil smile pinned me to the floor. I couldn’t breathe. The air just wouldn’t come. “Silent treatment? Or are you that surprised to see me?” He knelt in front of me and I scrambled as far back as the chain would let me. His hand came up to capture my chin even as I tried to arch away from him.

“Don’t touch her you prick!” Gavin banged on the cage and I turned to look at him. _I promised to keep him safe._ I knew what would happen if he got his hands on Gavin. I tried to interject but the words died in my throat. Nothing but violent spasms wracked my throat.

“Big mouth for such a fragile little pet. Shall we test your limits?” He released my jaw and started moving towards the cage. I tipped forward slightly. I steeled my resolve even as terror gripped my heart. The painful squeeze of fear trying to close my windpipe.

“Lycus, I didn’t take you for the one to leave a lady waiting. What’s the matter, Lycus? Prefer dick in the ass?” I tried to keep the quiver out of my voice. A sharp kick cracked into my back, pain blossoming as I collapsed. I coughed, pain having stolen my breath, and pulled myself back up in time to watch Lycus rip out the android’s thirium pump. He collapsed grasping at the hole in his chest, watching helplessly as the biocomponent was crushed in Lycus’s hand.

“I thought I was clear, no one touches the wolf. She is mine to break.” His sadistic smirk turned grew as he allowed the ruined pump to fall from his hand. Blue blood dripped freely from his hand as he turned to me, “I know what you’re doing Cara. But I won’t be goaded into letting him run his mouth. So,” I watched helpless as he opened the cage and hauled Gavin out, his eyes bore into me as he held Gavin easily. “Let’s see how loud he can scream.”

“Lycus, no, let him go. Lycus this is about me. You and me, remember?” I knew how much he liked to hear his name, I knew he loved to hear my voice rise in fear. I begged, wolf whine lacing my voice as I hoped to deter him from hurting Gavin. Gavin thrashed and kicked, trying to free himself from Lycus. Lycus snickered as he hung Gavin by his wrists from the ceiling. He wrapped his hand around his throat and squeezed.

“Come on Cara, he’s just a weak little human.” The violence in his eyes began to shine brighter and I pulled on the chain again. Gavin’s body thrashed. I strained even harder, bruising blossoming on my neck even as numbness set in. I pulled harder, horrified gaze on Gavin’s face began to get redder and redder. I could see the way his windpipe spasmed as he tried to draw breath. Lycus let go and Gavin gulped in air. Lycus knew what he was doing, he wanted me to know who was in control.

“Lycus please, stop just stop!” I begged desperately as he began to apply steady pressure to Gavin’s ribs. I had to give Gavin credit, he didn’t flinch until bone began to groan beneath Lycus’ palm.

“Phck you prick.” Gavin spit in his face and I flinched. Lycus smiled, ever so slowly before pressing down fully. I heard a crack before Lycus lifted Gavin and tossed him aside like a ragdoll.

“Stop! Stop it!” I desperately tried to free myself and protect my pack. A rough kick to my ribs left the air rushing out of me. I felt the bone give way and winced. Relief bloomed in my mind. At least if Lycus was hurting me, he wasn’t hurting Gavin. I needed to get Lycus’s attention on me.

“Don’t worry honey, you and I will have our play time too.” He turned to the audience of androids, “Leave us. I want some quality time.” The shiver that danced up my spine left me hoping the others would find us soon.

Lycus lifted Gavin, clawed hand coming around Gavin’s throat, squeezing enough to cut the air off. I watched helpless as Gavin sagged. Lycus immediately let go and set about stringing his limp form up. He placed Gavin’s wrists into restraints built into posts on the wall. He was gentle as he placed his ankles into restraints as well. All the while I begged Lycus to focus on me. He ignored my pleas as Gavin groaned, eyelids fluttering open.  Lycus punched Gavin in the abdomen drawing a sputtering gasp from Gavin. He was struggling to draw breath even as he came back to consciousness.

I watched in horror as Lycus let his claws, black and sharp, lengthen before gently drawing them down Gavin’s chest. Just below his ribs, Lycus applied pressure. I watched as the fabric tore before the flesh gave way. Gavin gasped before clenching his jaw shut. Lycus smiled as he withdrew his claws. The wound wasn’t deep I told tell as much from the blood coating the claw. His sadistic smile broadened as he retrieved a cat o’ nine tails. I screamed at him, begging, pleading for him to leave Gavin alone. He turned, and I felt the whip catch my cheek, slicing it open.

“Quiet, I don’t want you drowning out his screams. I’ll have to start over if you do.” I closed my eyes as he raised his arm, ready to bring it down on Gavin. The blood dripped off my face as the first blow hit.

GAVIN

 

Everyone always said my mouth and attitude would get me in trouble. I believed it as I looked into the eyes of the deranged bastard that had his claws in my gut. The officer in me had boiled up, ready to protect when I saw the way the air left Cara. I didn’t regret my decision even as she lost all the color in her face and started begging psycho fuck to leave me alone. I swallowed back any fear I had as the torture weapons came out. Cara’s response at the raid made sense now.

The first blows came down, cutting open my shirt before ripping open the skin beneath. I didn’t make a sound. This bastard was a sick mother fucker. I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction he wanted. This wasn’t my first rodeo with crazy. My stubbornness wasn’t about to let this bastard win.

We went ‘round and round for what left like forever, my brain screaming for air and my chest screaming for relief.  The blood that dripped, pooled beneath me. It was the lack of air that brought me back to being a kid. The PTSD that came up is what got me to start screaming ages ago. I shook from what was probably shock. I didn’t realize I had been crying but I could feel the drying tracts on my face. I heard the bastard taunting me and my fury came to the surface. I lifted my head, but the rage died when I looked at Cara. I let her win as a claw slipped back into my skin. I responded, red hot anger tipping my tongue.

Even as I fell to the bloodied ground, I tried to stand but Lycus took no time in shoving me back into the cage. As Cara tried to scoot away, I wondered just how fucked we were. Watching the way he handled Cara. I grasped just how much he had been holding back. Even as he strung Cara up, she didn’t show any fear. She had a hard look on her face that only intensified when he slapped her, splitting her lip. I watched with horror as I heard her bones break.

The sick delight in Lycus’ eye really showed just how much evil was in the bastard. It was the familiarity that he had with Cara that told me everything I needed to know. He’d done this to her before. The hours he spent with her, working her over with a cruelty I had never seen, made me sick. When he finally stopped, shoving her bloody battered body to the ground, I felt relief flood me. As soon as he slammed the cage shut again, he left. Not a word our way. When a shirt was thrown in, I slipped it on. I wasn’t going to refused something she had paid so dearly for.

I didn’t move to touch her. I didn’t know how mentally fucked up she was right now. I decided to put a hand on her arm. She still managed to smile even though she’d just been fucking tortured. She had blue eyes even as she asked if I was okay.

“Yeah, I’ll be okay. You, you gonna be okay? Your eyes are blue.” My voice couldn’t stay level, but I didn’t take my eyes off of hers. She hissed in pain as I watched her try to move. I tried to help her, but she shook her head.

I decided to ask about the elephant in the room. We talked about it and before long, Cara was sitting up. She reminded me that I definitely couldn’t handle Lycus even if I didn’t want to let her take this on. When we settled in to try and sleep, she made a point to stay between me and the door. She reminded me of Nines in that moment. I curled up. Wishing I was with Nines. I fell asleep and haunting memories of being held underwater came back to me.

I was 10 again. Being held under by strong hands that were supposed to keep me safe. I was kicking and struggling, my lungs burning. I needed air. I needed air so badly. I remember the yelling and the pressuring hands finally let go. I shot up, water flying everywhere as I scrambled away from the tub. Suddenly I was 17, with my mom as I told her I wanted to be a detective. I hugged her close and squeezed. I knew I was dreaming but it felt good to hold her again.

“Gavy baby, I love you.” Her voice in my ear made me feel safe again.

“I love you too mom.” I held her tight, unwilling to let go.

“Gavy, you’re gonna make it out of here okay?” I looked into her eyes as she pulled me back to arm’s length.

“Mom, I wish you were still around. I wish you could meet Nines.” Her soft smile lit her eyes.

“Gavin, I’m always with you. Nines has done so much for you and I love the love you two share. It’s perfect and natural. You deserve to be happy baby. I’m sorry I didn’t realize what you went through as a kid until it was too late. I’m happy you are talking to your brother again.” We were outside and sitting on our porch. I didn’t want to wake up.

“He’s amazing mom. He loves me for me. And he brought me back to my family.” The breeze felt amazing on my face.  I turned back to look at my mom a hair before a bang jolted me awake. I was thrown back into a nightmare.


	20. Nightmares are made for Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nightmare continues for Cara and Gavin. How much longer can Cara hold on? Hurry and find them Nines or Gavin might just become a literal snack.

CARA

 

What felt like hours later, Lycus stopped. He stepped away from Gavin’s bloody frame. The gashes that crisscrossed his torso, oozed blood, visible due to his shirt being long since in tatters. The oozing blood was testament to just how restrained Lycus had been. But his torture was profound, alternating between lashing and claws, pressure and oxygen deprivation. Lycus smiled as he stepped away. “Come on detective. Yield and I can start my work on her. You don’t have to suffer for her.” Gavin raised his head, ready to mouth off no doubt when he locked eyes with me, tear tracks drying on both our faces. “It’s okay, I can take it.” I mouthed. He paused before looking at Lycus and back to me. I nodded.

“Okay.” I could barely hear him. Lycus dug his fingers into a cut and Gavin winced.

“What’s that Detective? I couldn’t hear you. Say the words and this pain can end.” His sneer almost made Gavin stop.

“I’m done. Let this filthy bitch have what a dog deserves.” I knew he didn’t mean it, but it still hurt. Lycus undid the restraints on Gavin’s limbs and let him fall gracelessly to the ground. He hauled Gavin back into the cage before turning to me. I couldn’t help but scoot back.

“Come here Cara, let’s get back to old times?” He knelt and stroked my cheek.

“Bring it on mother fucker. Do your worst.” I steeled myself as my head snapped to the side from the sharp backhand. Lycus roughly gripped my jaw, bruises blossoming under his rough hand.

“I’m going to enjoy making you scream.” He stood and landed a boot against my skull. I saw stars even as he hauled me up to where Gavin had just been. He took the collar off and tossed it to the floor. He slapped me and I felt blood drip from my lips. I turned back to him and stared him down.

“That the best you got?” I knew I’d pay for baiting him, but it was better that he focused on me. His fist connected with my ribs and the bones gave way. I didn’t make a sound not even when his claws punctured the skin he’d just punched.

“You know I have far better in store.” His lips brushed my ear and I shuddered.

 

It truly was hours later that Lycus let me go. He caught me as I fell, before shoving me to the ground, foot on my battered ribs. He rebound my wrists, this time in front of me. He relished in the pain it brought, the blood from my earlier struggles streaking down my arms. He smiled as he yanked me up by hair and hauled me back over to the cage. I yelped and whined, whimpered and cried out but now my voice was shredded, too many hours of screaming had rendered it useless. He threw me back into the cage, without the collar around my neck, and left without another word. Our reprieve would be short, I knew that.

An android came in as Lycus left and shoved a shirt between the bars. I had requested that for Gavin, he needed it. I had paid for the request in screams, but it was worth it. I didn’t move from my spot on the floor. I couldn’t bring myself to move. Gavin laid a gentle hand on my arm. I turned my head to look at him and smiled.

“You okay?” My voice was little above a hoarse whisper.

“Yeah, I’ll be okay. You, you gonna be okay? Your eyes are blue.” His voice was unsteady, he looked right into my eyes.

“I’m fine Gav. Really. It’s nothing.” I shifted my position and hissed in pain. Gavin moved to help me, and I shook my head. “Nah just let me lay here.”

“You know him, don’t you?” I swallowed and nodded.

 “This isn’t my first time being at the mercy of his handiwork. That’s why I panicked at the raid. I saw the message he left for me. He calls me little wolf. To remind me how small he can make me.” I swallowed and felt my body trying to heal. I rolled onto my back and groaned.

“Look, you don’t have to do this Cara. I can fucking handle whatever he can dish out.” I sat up and felt my whole-body tense with the agony that swept through me. A low growl rose in my chest.

“No, you can’t. You can’t survive being flayed open like a carcass, having almost every bone on your right side broken and rebroken only to do it again a few hours later. He’s well versed in his evil. I know exactly what he’s capable Gavin. I was lucky I wasn’t human anymore when it happened. But even then…” I had to take a deep breath and steady myself, flashbacks of horror crossing my minds eye. “I have personally had the delight of his cruelty inflicted on me over the course of days. A hell unlike any other. You can’t survive him Gavin.” I reached up into my tattered shirt and felt relief at finding the knife there. I left it where it was and worked at the rope on my wrists. Gavin stretched to help me, and I pulled my hands away. “No, if I do it, then I have to deal with the consequences, you do it, then you pay.”

“Cara, tonight is the last night before the full moon.” His voice betrayed the fear he felt.

“I know Gav. And we’re gonna get out of here before then. I promise.” I took his hand in mine and held it tight after I’d chewed through my bonds. “We should really get some sleep. He’ll be back and need to be rested for that. After you’ve rested, I’m getting you out of here.” He simply nodded, and we settled in next to each other. I kept myself between him and the door. I listened as Gavin slipped into fitful sleep. I didn’t sleep. I didn’t want to. My wolf tentatively stepped forward, an invitation. I agreed and allow her to keep an eye out while Gavin and I slept. She would keep us safe.

 

My wolf yanked me back into the waking world as the door opened. I rolled away from Gavin and watched the sadistic bastard as he stalked in. I rose into a sit and stared him down. He smiled as he crouched. He opened the cage and swept his arm out. I crawled out of the cage and stood. He dwarfed me, but I wasn’t about to stand down. He swung the cage door shut with a bang and Gavin leapt awake inside. I glared him down. He grinned, fangs long and present. I bared my fangs right back. He huffed out a quiet laugh, stepped back and dropped his head but never his gaze. He struck. His fist connected with my nose. My brain rattled in my skull as I felt wetness gush out. He kept striking and I took it.

The defiance still shone in my eyes and he snarled as he took it in. I was grateful that Gavin kept quiet. It was at the first crack of bone that I felt the urge to cry out. The second pushed that further. The third almost tipped me over the edge. The quick succession of the fourth through eighth got me to whimper. Lycus knew he had me then. That’s when the real horrors began.

As I lay on the dirty ground, Lycus loomed. His foot struck out, connecting with already cracked ribs. He swung down, clawed hand ensnaring my neck as he hauled me up. I could feel the points of claws digging into my neck and jaw. The bone felt like it was screaming out as he applied further pressure. Panic started to kick into gear as he hauled me close to his face. His other hand slammed into my gut, air rushing out of me.

His mouth descended on mine, disgust rose in my body as I felt his tongue slither into my mouth. I couldn’t breathe, my brain screaming out even as things got fuzzy. He dropped me then. My body crumpling to the ground. The back of my head connected with the hard floor and pain ballooned out. Numbness began to spread as nausea boiled in my gut. I could feel my blood thundering through my veins as panic began to wrap around me.

His grin had been full of malice as he kicked me onto my back. I tried to scramble back, his crushing foot stopping my progress with a yelp. Fear entombed me as he crouched. Clawed hand reaching for my hair I felt absolute terror grip my core. He yanked upwards, claws scraping my skull, and removed his foot. I whimpered, breaths becoming more and more panicked as he dragged me to the other side of the room. I brought a hand up, hoping to untangle his hand from my hair, but he captured my wrist. A flex of his hand and the resounding crunch of bone hit me before the pain seared up my arm.

My body collided with the cage, yelp escaping my lips as he stalked closer. I tried to push myself up, broken wrist buckling beneath my weight. I screamed as his boot kicked my battered ribs. Nausea almost boiled over as my blurred vision worsened. He yanked my hair again, dragging me across the floor. Skin gave way and scrapes tore open along my arm and side. Pain screamed down my arm as he hauled me up. Securing my wrists into restraints as his wicked delight filled his giggles.

My head throbbed. The room swirling and dipping in vision as I battled my stomach. His claws skimmed over the column of my throat, goosebumps skipped up my skin, revulsion seizing me. His claw pulled my bottom lip down, bleary eyes tried to focus on him, but stars danced before my eyes. I felt my eyes drifting shut even as my heart thundered in my ears.

“Stay awake now Cara. I haven’t finished having my fun.” Pain seared my lip and I yelped. Attention snapping back to him as a warm wetness dripped from my lip. The metallic pang of blood filled my mouth. “You reek of fear darling.” His lips grazed the shell of my ear.

“Fuck off.” The words broke past bloodied lips. The crack of the slap left my ears ringing. Revulsion crawled up my throat as his tongue lapped up my neck. I shook as I sank into terror. Claws raked down my side, blood bursting to the surface. Suddenly his presence was gone. I raised my head, eyes hopeful. Hope died as he turned, the short whip in hand inspiring a violent wave of tremors. The cat o’ nine tails glinted at the ends, the metal tips twinkling as they clinked together.

Once the first blow landed, the pain became almost never ending. When he stopped, sobs wracked my body. Flaps of skin bled as my body shook under the force of my sobs. I found myself falling. Unable to catch myself, I collapsed to the ground. His hand gripped the back of my neck, hauling me up. I shook in his grasp, eliciting a grin from him.  

“Let’s go have some fun in the other room, shall we?” He released me and I tried to scramble away. The sickening crunch was just a precursor to my scream of agony. My left leg screeched in agony, fire burning up the limb. Sheer panic enraptured my form as he took hold of my ankle and began dragging me toward the door. My claws grew and I dug them into the concrete. Pain blossomed in my hands as he pulled. My panicked eyes met Gavin’s as the door shut.

Once in the other room Lycus released me. Wolves in both forms circled me. I bared my fangs in warning as they circled. I was outnumbered 6 to 1. That was without including Lycus himself. He simply stood, watching. Blood pooled beneath me and fear quivered in my core. His lips quirked into a smirk and I backed up. Growls rose in the room and I found myself struggling to breathe.

“I told you all that if you were good, I’d share. Enjoy. Don’t kill her. Just make her wish she was dead.” Ice replaced blood as they descended.

 

I must have blacked out at some point. I woke up on the floor of the cage, my body on fire. It felt like every nerve was laid open and frayed at the end. The fire that licked over me felt like a never-ending inferno. The wracking tremors that entrapped me felt like a personal hell. I whimpered and felt pain everywhere.

“Cara? You really awake now?” Gavin’s tentative voice reached my ears and I wanted to move but I didn’t dare. I could feel the chill of night and the moon singing through my veins.

“Y-y-yeah.” I swallowed hard and tried to focus on this form. I tried desperately to hold my wolf at bay. She was hurt and wouldn’t see Gavin as a friend in such close quarters. Agony wracked my frame.

“Are you gonna be okay? These cuts aren’t healing.” I nodded slowly. I didn’t want to move.

“G-Gavin. The n-next t-ti-time tha-a-a-t-t-t d-d-door o-opens,” I steeled myself against the pain and sat up. The blinding pain rode my body and sent more violent spasms through me as the blackness threatened to pull me under. “You. Are. Going. To. Run.” I had to stop between the words to make sure they made sense. The spasms didn’t stop. They intensified. I heard the loud popping just as much as I felt it. Lightning pains shot down my spine. I doubled over, panting through the agony. Soft growls emanated from the depths of my body.

“I’m not leaving you here.” He wisely kept his distance. I was hanging on by a thread.

“This isn’t a debate Gavin. You have something to survive for. You need to get out of here. Ly-Lycus, he’s going to come back and try to push my limit until my wolf takes over. That happens, your safety isn’t guaranteed anymore. Especially in this tiny cage.” I knew my voice had a feral edge to it, with some words being more of a growl than others. My eyes were having trouble focusing, the pain wringing my nerves. Elongated canines made my words slur and warble in a mouth that was struggling to stay human.

“I don’t have a chance of getting out of here alone. So, you want me safe? You’re phcking coming with.” The steel in his eyes pleased my wolf. He was strong. His logic did make sense, as much as I hated to admit it.

“If I say run, you run. You don’t look back, you just run. Understood?” He nodded. He looked in my eyes before quickly looking away.

“I’m sorry, she’s close and the moon is out.” I could feel my broken body knitting together, slowly, painfully. Gavin filled the silence with mindless banter. It helped quell the beast as I sat shivering. Soon we both settled in to sleep. I slept in small bursts, unwilling to totally sleep. I gently woke Gavin when he started to twitch and mumble. He shot awake, eyes wide, panting. I calmed him with gentle murmurs of reassurance. He realized who I was. He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. I took out my knife and handed it to him. He took it wordlessly. He tucked it into his waistband as he settled back down.


	21. Run, just Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cara and Gavin make a run for it. Nines is on his way but can they keep things from going to hell? Run. Run because time is rapidly running out

I heard the door and eyed the figure that entered. It was clearly an android; the LED was obvious in the dim light. I growled low in my throat and crowded over Gavin. They just stared before turning back around and leaving. My wolf stirred. She listened intently to the footsteps as they receded. The night had settled in and I just wanted to get out of here before the next round of torment that waited. Finally, after an hour of waiting some idiot wolf strode in, her human form exuding cockiness. She snickered and kicked the cage. I snarled and played up the show. She got too close and I sank my fangs into her leg.

Foul curses fell from her lips as she tried to hit me. I danced out of the way and avoided any strikes, chuckling all the while. She at last bent and undid the lock, reaching in. I yanked her in and slammed her head against the bars. Gavin dashed out before I slammed the wolf’s head down against the floor. I stood and suppressed a yelp as my leg buckled under me. The broken bone had not fully healed yet. Gavin caught me before I fell as I nodded thanks. I bit back the pain and carefully applied weight to it.

We moved quickly and quietly to the door. I listened attentively to the sounds around us before we slipped out into the hall. I sniffed and listened. Gavin stayed close as we moved. We froze when we heard a howl, quickly answered by more howls. I looked to Gavin, who seemed to be in officer mode. “Don’t be scared. They’ll scent it,” I whispered to him as we picked up the pace. My ears picked up sound from the hallway behind us and I shoved Gavin ahead of me. “Run.”

We could hear the barking and thundering from the halls as we sprinted. Gavin just a hair ahead of me. I smelled fresh air around a corner as more wolves appeared ahead of us. I steered Gavin to our right and we booked it up the stairs. I sprinted faster, gaining the momentum I needed to shove the door open, I saw it was cracked open a moment before I slammed into it. Gavin barreled out as I turned around and slammed the door shut, turning the mechanism to shut it. I fell against the door as my leg gave way.

I heard the crash of waves as Gavin helped me stand. I turned and felt the cold breeze of the ocean sweep across my face. Limping to the ledge, I decided to pee over the edge and saw the dark waves below. Gavin started walking along the path when I saw a figure come around the corner. Pushing Gavin aside, I bolted at the figure, squelching all the pain shooting up my leg. They fired off a shot, barely missing me. I let my wolf come through and felt myself airborne, heard Gavin running behind me, before landing on paws. The figure focused on me, the immediate threat. Faster on four legs, I dodged easily despite my pain. I landed a few paces ahead of the figure and rolled as I shifted back. I took their hands, gun and all, in my own and forced the muzzle up, right below the chin. My eyes bled back to brown as I pulled the trigger. The crack of the gun rang out as wetness rained down. I let go and let it fall back, red pouring out.

“You-you just shifted, to a wolf and back…and you’re clothed.” _Shit._ I hadn’t meant to divulge that particular secret.

“Not now, we gotta move.” I took his hand, ignoring the gore that covered me and ran. We got right to the edge before I stopped, I looked over and turned to him. “How strong of a swimmer are you?” His face paled.

“I-I can’t swim that.” His eyes were wild with fear. I knew that look, the ghost of trauma holding dominion over his face. I nodded and rather than jump with him, I ran with his hand in mine. My bones were screaming, some had not been able to handle the stress of the change and had rebroken. Fire tore through my veins and bones with each step. The walkway leading off the ship loomed ahead, and I shoved Gavin towards it.

“Run Gavin. Run and don’t look back. I’ll be right behind you.” It wasn’t a lie if I managed to buy us time. He paused for a moment. “Run! I won’t be far behind, just go!” I shoved him again and this time he ran. I could hear the wolves closing in. I turned around and saw four wolves gaining ground fast. I heard another two coming from another side. Closing my eyes, I let the shift flow over me. I ran at the wolves, quickly turned into a snarling, snapping mess as we collided.

I managed to twist and slip away from the fray to pounce on one of the wolves. Another one slipped away, in hot pursuit of Gavin as I was pulled back into the fray. I wasn’t in top fighting shape to begin with, the larger numbers didn’t help. But I was older, and these wolves didn’t move as a pack without their alpha. By sheer luck I managed to tear the throat of one out before being caught back up in the real fight. My wolf took over, her need to survive suppressing me. She ceded control as we struck the killing blow on another. A scent caught in my nose and I twisted away from the fray.

Lycus slowly prowled over, an evil calm coating his form. Each step measured and calm. Fear coiled low in my gut. His smirk paired with inhuman eyes skewered me, panic beginning to settle in me as he neared. A predator stalking its prey. With a twisting scramble, I evaded the wolves as they turned on one another. The gleam in Lycus’s eye as I turned tail and ran sent a violent chill down my spine. He grinned as he smelt fear. I sprinted after Gavin, I had to protect him.

“Run, little wolf, run.” The predatory whisper reached my ears as I dove off the ship, legs buckling. I scrambled up before racing away. _Goddess, let me reach him in time._ I could feel night closing as I willed my legs to move faster.

 

NINES

 

We drove two Jeeps there, Clay in one, Connor and I in the other. The multitude of traffic laws we broke as we tore through the city were ignored. Our minds were focused solely on arriving at the harbor, and fast. Nearing the harbor, we slowed but just barely. We got the cars as close as we could, which wasn’t close at all before getting out. I took off at a dead run, Connor and Clay trailing after me. Long strides devoured the pavement as I moved. The sun would be rising soon. I needed to see Gavin safe. I vaulted up and over a fence with ease. Once inside the fenced perimeter, I slowed and scanned.

We moved quietly and quickly. I picked up on running feet a few meters away and dashed in that direction. Drawing my gun as we rounded the corner, I braced. Ready for an assault, I never let my gun’s muzzle drop but as I took in the sight before me, I very nearly dropped the gun. I ran as my scanners picked up on Gavin’s approaching form. He must have seen me and recognized me because his speed picked up. I breathed in relief. Seeing him alive washed my fears away. Then I saw the wolf rapidly gaining on him. I took aim and fired. The wolf slid to a stop, a bullet lodged between its eyes as Gavin collapsed into my arms.

He clung to me, panting and shaking. He was muttering in a panic and I pulled back, holding his face in my hands. “You’re okay Gavin, you’re safe.” He looked at me, his eyes wild.

“Cara, she needs help. Nines you have to help her!” Gavin fisted my jacket as he spoke. Connor and Clay looked to where Gavin had come from and I watched as Clay took off, shifting mid-stride to a wolf. I held Gavin as I watched them disappear. If she was still alive, I owed her for saving my Gavin.

 

CONNOR

 

I ran behind Clay as he raced down the path Gavin had taken. My scanners knew because of the trail of blood drops he had left behind as he fled. I heard yelps and growls ahead. We ran forward only to find Cara locked in a fight with another wolf. She tried to fend off her attacker, but I could see a leg that buckled any time she put weight on it, the matted fur that was soaked in blood and the hot breath she panted. Clay pounced onto the attacker as I scanned for any other attackers. Clay locked his jaws around the neck of the smaller wolf and I heard the crunch of bone as it sagged.

I thought I saw a shadow move just beyond but my scanners picked nothing up. Clay nudged Cara up and she leaned on him heavily. She limped slowly, and I found myself scooping her up into my arms as she growled quietly. I was surprised by the weight of her in my arms. I held her close to my chest as I ran. Clay’s paws were silent beside me. We reached Nines and Gavin quickly. Gavin appeared to be more stable. I urged us to get back to the jeeps quickly. Nines gently took Cara from me and motioned for me to get over the fence. I nodded as I watched Clay scrabble over. Gavin was behind me, wincing as he moved. Nines awkwardly climbed over and we made our way to the cars.

“We shouldn’t go straight back to the house. They could be watching.” Gavin whispered as we got to the jeeps. Nines opened the back and gently laid Cara inside. Clay clearly wanting to climb in with her but instead chose to go around and shift back before opening the door and grabbing a pair of sweats we had brought. He slipped them on out of our view.

“No one’s following, and these things don’t have GPS or plates. I don’t think knocking out some cameras would be too hard for you.” I nodded although there were no cameras on our route to the safehouse. I got in the car with Clay while Nines got in the other with Gavin. I heard Cara’s soft sighing whine as we drove away. Her body seemed to sag suddenly as we got on the highway. Her eyes were open and blue, but she had stopped panting heavily. She was quiet as we drove back, the sun shimmering over the horizon.


	22. Back to Safety but There's No Rest for the Wicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cara and Gavin are safe. Time to talk but just how long do they have?

Once we arrived at the house, we all stepped out, but Cara made no move to get up. Clay cautiously smoothed a hand over her head before turning to us. “She doesn’t want to move right now. She doesn’t feel like she has a great grip on her control right now.” Cara’s eyes drifted shut for a moment before opening again, there was a slightly feral glint to her eyes.

“I’d like to get Gavin inside and get him some medical attention.” Nines voice was soft but firm. Clay nodded and hesitantly closed the back of the Jeep before heading up the walkway. As we walked in Elijah stood and turning to face Gavin. Gavin stood, his mouth gaping as he took in the scene.

“Eli-Kamski, what are you doing here?” Gavin croaked out. Hank chuckled and stood.

“Cats outta the bag Reed, relax. No one’s gonna shout this from the fuckin’ rooftops.” Elijah strode to Gavin before gently wrapping his arms round his brother, careful not to apply pressure. Gavin tentatively hugged him back.

“Gav, you look like shit.” Gavin laughed as they stepped apart. Pain making him contain the sound.

“So, you do ya fuckin’ bitch. Haven’t slept for how many days?” Gavin held Elijah at arm’s length as he gave him a once over. They laughed, and Gavin winced. Nines ushered them to the kitchen where Chloe and Nines set about cleaning Gavin’s wounds. Elijah sat close by, wanting to be by his side. Clay and I went back outside to gather Cara. As we walked out, Clay asked Cassie and Amaia to head upstairs.

When we opened the Jeep again, Cara growled. It was a low warning sound. Clay had a small blanket in his hand. I watched as he cautiously approached Cara and draped it over her head. He motioned for me to pull Cara out of the car as he held the cloth in place. She growled louder and bared her fangs. Clay gently tied the cloth in place before we made our way back up to the house. Blood freely soaked into my clothing and I had a moment of Déjà vu. Cara’s growling had not quieted as we entered. Gavin rose and motioned for the table to be cleared.

Clay laid a tarp over the table before signaling me to lay Cara down. Her growls had gotten much louder. They were almost constant. Everyone moved away allowing for us to have space to work. Elijah stared down at Cara. Awe colored his face. I kept a gentle hand on Cara’s head. She seemed to quiet, even if it was only a hair of a difference. As Clay moved to begin working, Elijah spoke up.

“May I help?” Clay stared at him, dumbfounded before slowly nodding. Clay asked Nines and me to hold Cara still as he and Elijah set to work. Clay worked to swiftly rebreak the bones that had not healed correctly. I was surprised by the strength Cara exhibited. Clay reminded me to watch her jaws as she struggled. I was taken aback by Nines gentleness with Cara. I wondered what was going through his head. Nines and Elijah glanced at each other over the table. Elijah was instrumental in her care as he helped set bones and clean wounds. After a while a tremor ran through Cara and Clay had us all step back.

After a moment Cara’s tail gently thumped against the table. Clay had me remove the cloth from her head and she gazed up at me with brown-blue eyes. She let her tongue loll out and Clay got back to work with Elijah. Nines stepped away and returned to Gavin. I stood by Cara’s head, I had the deep urge to gently pet her. Carefully I raised my hand to her head. She lifted her head and gently licked my palm before setting her head back down. I smiled as I gently smoothed my hand down her head and neck. She closed her eyes and seemed to sigh.

Soon enough Elijah was next to me, gazing down at her. His eyes were full of wonder as he took her in. I wondered if this was the first time seeing a werewolf up close. Or if it was just the incredible way her bones had healed or the way her tissues visibly knit together. As I watched, Cara attempted to stand. Clay put a restraining hand on her as he frowned.

“Do you want to fall of the table? Let one of us help you down.” She almost grumbled at him as he eased her down. Her legs shook as she stood there. She shook out her fur before carefully stretching. I saw a tremor pass over her before her form seemed to ripple. I didn’t look too closely as I realized she was changing back. I turned Elijah around as I turned away. I heard a breathless laugh from her before I heard the table shift slightly.

“Thanks for the privacy but really, it’s fine. Cats outta the bag Clay.” I turned to see Clay glaring her down. Cara was leaning back against the table, fully clothed. How did she do that?

“I can’t- “Clay clamped his mouth shut at the glare Cara gave him. I held her gaze for a moment before he looked down, leaning against the window. Cara turned back to us, her gaze still brown-blue. She offered a small smile as she pushed away from the table. She took a few steps toward us before turning to look at Elijah.

“Elijah Kamski. Never thought I’d get to meet you face to face. I wish it wasn’t under these circumstances.” Cara offered her hand and Elijah simply looked at her.

“Gav says you saved his life before and that you protected him.” Cara’s smile faltered, and her hand dropped.

“I’m sorry.” She started to take a step back before being caught up in Elijah’s hug. Clearly caught off guard, she slowly brought her arms up to return the gesture.

“Thank you.” It was a quiet whisper that was only heard by some of us. As they stepped apart, Cara kept her eyes on Elijah. “Cassie, Amaia, you can come down now.” Cara didn’t raise her voice, but I heard footsteps descending the stairs. Amaia timidly approached. She had removed her LED. I smiled softly. Cara looked to her before her eyes fluttered shut, she swayed but caught herself on the table. We didn’t move, unsure of how to respond. Elijah is the one to finally reach out to her. Blue eyes suddenly gaze back at him.

Cara walks to the living room silently before sitting on the floor her ankles crossed. She releases a heavy sigh before letting her head fall against the couch. When her eyes open again, they’re pure brown. She lets out a shaky breath and I watch her clench and unclench he fists. She turns to look at Gavin and smiles. Nines sits next to her on the floor, Elijah takes up the spot next to her. Clay sits opposite them all. I decide to sit next to Hank as the girls settle into a loveseat that hadn’t been here before.

“We’re okay. We just need to stop this shit before it hits the fan.” Gavin’s voice is rough and sore. Nines took his hand in his and held it tightly.

“Cara, thank you. You did more than just make good on a promise.” Nines eyes are closed as Cara turns to look at him. Her eyes focus on his face as he speaks, “You made sure Gavin came back to me.” He opens his eyes and looks at her. After a moment, he drops his gaze.

“I protected my pack Nines. You all may not be wolves, but pack is more than just bloodlines.”

“Cara… it was him wasn’t it?” Clay’s voice is barely above a whisper. Cara draws a deep breath before speaking.

“Yeah, it was Lycus.” She held her hands tightly together, her stress levels rising.

“Cara? My name is Chloe, if I may, can you explain who Lycus is?” I knew what Chloe was doing, she was designed to be the best companion after all. She knew how to help someone when they needed it. Her programming had made her a great volunteer at New Jericho.

“Chloe, darling maybe we shouldn’t- “Elijah began to quietly discourage Chloe when Cara’s shaking hand laid on his arm.

“It’s okay Elijah. Really. It’s good to talk about it.”

“No, it’s good to get a therapist.” Clay muttered before Cara continued.

“Lycus is someone I knew from when I was first turned. I didn’t realize how dangerous he was. No one did. He didn’t appreciate that I rose through the ranks of Clay’s pack so easily. I was a female. I was new. I didn’t deserve it. He tried to challenge me, but J…our alpha, Clay’s father, he stepped in. He made Lycus stand down. It snapped whatever remained of humanity in him. He waited until we were all at a pack gathering, back when we had cabins and forests in every direction, and he drugged me. He took me away somewhere. He turned me into his plaything, to destroy in every way he could. I thought the pain of the bite and change were bad,” A bitter laugh bubbled out of her, lips twisting into a mockery of a smile, “What he did, he did methodically. The pain was never ending. He flayed me open. Mind. Body. Soul. He made me beg for death. Clay came and found me. He brought me home. I resented him for a long time. I probably should have gotten a lot of therapy back then. Instead, I just pretended it wasn’t real. Even with the panic attacks, the anxiety, nightmares, insomnia, all of it. I pretended it wasn’t real. Well, Lycus disappeared.” Cara’s eyes clamped shut. A shuddering breath wracked her frame.

“Your wolf, she shielded you, didn’t she?” Chloe spoke softly, and I watched her with admiration.

“Yeah, I mean it’s a defense mechanism. With enough pain or damage, the wolf rises. It’s a way to optimize survival. A werewolf has a unique survival drive. We will do all that we can to survive. But she did more than that. I think it’s what has made us so different but so united. In the end, I became the successor to the throne in a sense and Lycus just became a boogeyman from a darker time. When he turned his sights to Gavin, I-I pushed my fear down and my wolf protested at first.” She fixed Gavin with a soft gaze. “She’s grown fond of you Gavin. Like a brother. And she’s fond of you Hank, silent as you are. She admires you. When she overcame her own fear, we stepped in. We knew how to placate Lycus, how to draw him. After we got out, it didn’t matter if I died, Clay would know who did it.” Clay visibly flinched.

“We never found out who was more dominant, so Cara can’t try to alpha him. So even his followers can’t be dominated that way either. There’s an unknown element there. Hell, we all knew Lycus was dominant, we just didn’t know if he could stand toe-to-toe with Cara or myself. Da never let that happen.” Clay chewed at his lip after he finished.

“Point is this bastard is dangerous. Smart, and dangerous.” In a move so unlike Nines, he pulled Cara to his chest and held her close. She didn’t protest, instead she curled into him and shook. Amaia came to sit with me and I held her hand as she slipped it into my own. We sat like that for a moment before Nines slowly released Cara. “This has to end. Tonight. It just has to end. We’re going to have to go into this with everything we have.”

“This case still doesn’t make sense.” Hank spoke up from his seat.

“Does the case really matter right now Anderson? We’re about to have a pack of wolves descend on Detroit. Oh, and let’s not forget that the ringmaster is a sadistic sonofabitch that has a phckin’ murder boner for humanity. Oh, and let’s not forget that he phckin’ has androids workin’ for his ugly ass. He’s a goddamn mob boss blended together with a bit of fangs and claws that I got to feel first hand so sorry none of us give a phck about your motherfucking case, old man!” Gavin had gotten up, crossed he room to get into Hank’s face. Hank didn’t even blink.

“Ya done Reed?” Gavin fumed for a minute before stomping upstairs, Elijah not far behind him since Cara was still leaning on Nines. “I’m talking bigger picture kids. Why Detroit? Why here, why now?”

Cara met eyes with Clay after but a second, their eyes were wide, and Cara suddenly scrambled up. “We need to get back to that ship and end this now. I know what he’s doing.” Chloe caught Cara as she doubled over. “Lycus is going to expose us all.”


	23. Saddle Up it's Time to End This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for things to wrap up isn't it?

CARA

 

Ice settled into my veins as Clay and I began to haul our weapon stores out. Of course, with Detroit still in the spotlight, why not here to start a war? Pain twanged within muscle and unwilling bone as we lugged the bags out. As the kitchen table disappeared beneath the weapons, I looked to Hank. His face was grim. We knew all too well what kind of a battlefield Detroit could, and would, become if we didn’t stop this. Nines’ lips settled into a hard-set line as he took in the sight before him.

Gavin and Elijah had descended the stairs again. Gavin seemed to understand. We all moved as one. Hank came to stand beside me and I gazed up at him as I handed him the gun. Chloe and Amaia would stay here. Cassie had insisted on coming with us. The surprise had come when Nines handed Elijah a gun. Connor held my gaze as I grabbed the keys to the motorcycle. He knew I wasn’t ready to deal with this but with sunlight fading fast, we needed to stop Lycus and his crew from leaving that ship. I took one last look at the girls before I turned back and handed Chloe a gun and keys to the spare cycle in the garage. She nodded. I turned back to the door, my pack behind me.

I let Clay and Connor take the Jeeps. Gavin took the last one with only slight protest from Elijah. Nines and I flanked the convoy on the motorcycles. I had laughed at the cliché. Clay took point as Nines and I fell back. He rammed through the fence and we zoomed in. I raced ahead as they all fell back. I let the bike’s tires squeal as I stopped. Sentries appeared as I waltzed onto the ship. Lycus strode out, evil grin on his face.

“Figured it out, did you?” His wolves stood back, unsure now of what to do. Without the pain and fear, my dominance was evident.

“What is it you want Lycus? You want the throne? Why not kill me while you had me? Oh wait, do that and your lackeys might not follow. And that would be a civil war wouldn’t it? You need everyone to fall in line behind you for this to work, right?” I kept approaching and the wolves around us circled, confused and ready to watch where this would go. I could hear their snarls and growls as they circled.

“We shouldn’t be hiding in the shadows of humans. None of us should. We’re all superior.” Lycus began moving, circling.

“That’s what this is about? Being the dominant race? Where’d you find the tin cans?” I held my ground and allowed him to circle. I turned my head to look at him as his grin grew feral.

“Some of them were very loyal to North’s approach. She may have become a complacent pup, but her followers didn’t. Markus is a damn fool. They know that. They just needed the right push and a new leader.” It all made sense now. I stopped circling. Night had long ago fallen, the moon not yet in the sky.  I could feel the call of the night as the wolves paced.

“Well Lycus, I’m not going to let you do this. This isn’t going to be your way. Because you will kneel to me.” I kept my voice level and strong. I stood my ground, challenge issued. I watched his grin’s feral insanity reach his eyes as flecks of gold began to burst into his eyes. The circling wolves growled and snarled, it sounded like a pack waiting to pounce on a kill. I knew my group was lying in wait. I hoped by some miracle this would go my way.

I could see the delight in his eyes. The green blue depths swam with gold shards as he stepped forward. I stood my ground even as he stepped right up to me. He dwarfed me easily, but I refused to let him affect me as he grinned down at me. I could see his sharp little teeth, the teeth that had caused so much pain in their lifetime. I could see the already thickening hair on his jaw as more sprouted along his neck. His lips split into a grander smile, it was unnaturally wide, and I could hear the rumble in his chest. I could practically feel it.

“Challenge then? You’re so steady for one so scared.” His voice was more of a deep, rumbling growl that simply added to the reality of what I was doing. “I can hear your heart.” His voice, breathy and wispy, in my ear sent my heart into overdrive.

“Tell your android pals to stand down. We want a fair fight, don’t we? Or your pack won’t answer to you. You know they’ll follow a true alpha. Who better than the alpha of alphas.” I spit ‘pack’ like venom in his face. His smile vanished as I laid my claim at his feet. The other wolves perked their ears at the mention of my title. He knew what this fight meant now. Intervention from either party would negate any victory.

“You welp bitch. I will put you in your place. Beneath my heel. I accept the challenge. No one is to interfere here. This is a dance for us.” No sooner had he finished talking, his eyes focused on mine. “Yield.” I felt the weight of the command settle on me.

“Heel.” I didn’t apply my full will, but I saw him narrow his eyes. Thus, began the dance. When we reached an impasse, neither bending, we stood growling. He struck first. As a human, he had reach and size but as wolves, well that would be telling. We’d see very soon as I could already feel the cracking of bone under the pull of the moon. Once fully changed, I shook my pelt to clear it of the snow that still covered the ground. I snarled, a sound that could never pass as purely wolf as my tongue scraped over my frontal fangs.

Lycus stood not far, a massive dark grey pelted beast with molten gold for eyes. His jaws dripped with saliva as he stalked closer. I swear I saw a smile split his jaws before some of the wolves ran off. _SHIT._ I made a move to give chase and he blocked me. His tail wagged slow and low, an amused glint in his eyes. If I ran, I forfeited. I hear gunfire and turned to see Hank and Connor firing at the wolves, stalling their advance. Lycus snarled and lunged at me. We tumbled and spun, dipped and dodged, snapping and clawing. This had to be my only focus now. The others would have to handle the rest of them.

 

CLAY

 

I enjoyed the jolt as I slammed through the fence surrounding the shipyard. I slowed as Cara raced ahead. We all broke away and parked the cars a small bit away. As we all moved forward, we ensured that we kept to the shadows. Nines and Connor crept closer as the rest of us stayed back. Elijah had a certain hardness to his eyes as he moved forward. Gavin moved without any outward signs of pain and I had to admire his grit. Cassie kept herself close to Hank as we moved.

She had long ago lost her human form and slunk along in the darkness. Eyes firmly trained on Cara, I melded to the edge of darkness. She stood tall even as the wolves circled. Even as Lycus crowded her. She stood, defiance painting all her, as she laid the challenge before him. I could practically feel the blast of fury off of Lycus as the surrounding wolves paused. Intrigued. I moved forward, right next to Nines as the challenge weighed on. Connor had moved into position with Hank while Cassie stayed half way between them and Nines.

I turned to look at Nines and I saw a murderous hatred there. I swear I saw a red gold glint in the icy depths of his eyes. I heard the scrambling of claws and turned just in time to see Connor and Hank firing towards the break away wolves. Cassie shot out then and pounced on one of the wolves. I turned back to the fight and saw the mass of fur and claws that tumbled in the snow. Nines moved forward then and took aim at one of the androids perched above. Gavin and Elijah moved together and began firing at the androids that came out. I in turn rushed up to the fight on the deck.

Cara and Lycus had broken apart and stood, chests heaving blood splattered everywhere. Lycus’s molten eyes settled on me and his head swiveled to face me. His muscles bunched and he lunged. Cara tackled him and they flew, colliding into the metal of the ship. I kept moving, I had to find as many androids as possible and disable them. It was the sudden rush of energy that sent me falling to me knees, the change ripping through me. Blue rained down from a hole in the head of the android in front of me. I turned to see Gavin, his gun trained ahead.

I snarled and lunged, fangs finding purchase in soft flesh. As I rolled away from the wolf that had been poised to take Gavin down, I felt my hackles rise. The others were doing their best to keep the wolves alive, but their volatile nature was making it incredibly difficult. I searched for Cassie and couldn’t find her in the fray. I swept my eyes across the landscape, desperate to find her. It was as I found myself running towards Hank, that I heard the yelp.

Mid-lunge I heard the yelp that froze my blood. As I collided with the other wolf, I swiveled my head just in time to watch Cara disappear over the edge of the ship.


	24. The End of an Era

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the end. Who's going to survive it all?

CARA

 

As we broke apart the blood almost seemed to steam in the snow. The flap of flesh hanging from my torn shoulder dripped into the snow. The hot ropes of saliva hanging from our jowls tinged a sadistic pink. Yellowed fangs glinted with red droplets as quivering jaws spasmed open and shut.

Lycus’ feral grin reflected pure malice in his canine, furred face. I could see into his unhinged mind as it broke through his eyes. I could see the hunger in his eyes. When he launched himself at me, my hind leg buckled, and I tumbled back. My throat exposed. I shifted back to human and desperately tried to hold off his snapping jaws. The hot breath and acrid saliva that assaulted my face made me shake. The frenzied clack of his jaws inches from my throat sent my heart into overdrive. Then several things happened at once.

I lost my grip on his scruff. I braced for his jaws to clamp around my neck. Instead his head dipped lower and I felt his fangs hook around my ribs. I felt the lighting burn of pain down my arm and as Lycus pulled his fangs out, realized his chest had come down on my arm, fracturing it. In the process his trajectory had been thrown off. As he readjusted, I shifted and with the new bulk threw him off. I scrambled away from him and turned quickly.

We collided with the force of two trucks. Fangs and claws scrabbling for purchase. I lost my footing for a moment and Lycus took advantage. He pushed me back and I fought to regain purchase on the snowy steel of the ship. He kept pushing me back further and further until my hind legs bumped the side of the ship. With one final shove, I tumbled back and over the ledge.

 

CASSIE

 

I turned away from the wrecked android at my paws just in time to see Cara tip backwards and begin to fall over the edge of the ship. Fury rose in me and I charged at Lycus. I launched myself at him and he turned, swatting me away like a pest. I yelped as I felt a crack in my ribs. I didn’t even have the chance to stand as his big paw smacked down on my ribs. His snarling jaws were within inches of my face. I panicked and tried to worm away, whimpering. He held me beneath his paw, claws imbedding themselves deeply into my ribs. He whirled around placing more pressure on my ribs and I whined. I looked at what had caught his attention and saw Clay. His head was low and a loud rumble sounding from his chest.

Suddenly Lycus was flying. Cara, in her skin, was crouched not far from me. She looked at me out of the corner of her eye and I heard her voice in my head. _Go help the others. MOVE!_ The last bit came after my hesitation. I scrambled up and away, Clay at my side, though I could tell he was reluctant. We split and moved to help corral the wolves. A bullet whizzed by my ear and embedded itself into the shoulder of a wolf I hadn’t noticed. I looked back and saw none other than Elijah.

I dipped my head in gratitude and launched back into the fight. Connor and Hank stood close together, covering each other’s backs. The wolves and androids worked as a team and a wolf managed to slip between them. Clay was quicker to act and brought the wolf down. Hank had turned to try to cover himself but left himself open to a lurking android. I pounced as the boom of the gun sounded. I felt a sharp pang as I clamped my jaws into the deviant’s neck. Thick thirium once again spilled into my mouth. I thrashed my head side to side, shredding the biocomponents in my maw.

A splatter of thirium accompanied another boom. I flinched and disengaged my fangs as the body beneath me collapsed. A searing pain burned through my abdomen. Blood dripped freely from the wound. I spun to see who had fired the bullet that was now lodged in the android’s head. Nines stood, eyes trained on me, not more than a few paces away. His gun adjusted slightly to rest in my direction. I blinked and backed up a step. Suddenly realizing I was growling. I stopped and sat. Nines lowered the gun and nodded.

I stood when I heard Clay call. I moved passed Nines, my mind wondering how much of an animal I was.

 

CARA

 

The look on Lycus’ face as I came back over the ledge was priceless. My wolf grinned with pleasure. After sending Clay and Cassie away, I launched back into the fight with Lycus. As more and more strikes landed, I heard less and less commotion around me. I could almost feel the angry desperation in each strike.  He grew more and more angry as the fight went on. As we broke apart, hides shredded from claws and fangs, Lycus shifted. Rage coated his features. His attacks became brutal and rapid fire. Each connection of his fist was a brutal reverberation through my body.

I shifted and had to attempt to catch a fist to avoid a punishing blow to the face. We never slowed. Claws still tipping human hands, each swipe splattered crimson onto the pink snow. Fangs still filled human mouths as our ferocity intensified. Tangles of limbs rolled in the pink snow as fangs searched for flesh. As I sailed through the air from being thrown, I shifted to land on paws. My fangs met with fur once more and we grappled once again.

We danced between forms, each one of us dealing out punishing blows meant to cripple. I knew the bruising blossoming across our skin faded almost instantly under the light of the goddess moon. Even flesh torn open began to knit together almost instantly. As the moon rose to sit high in the blanket of night, I managed to trip him up, and as he fell, he had a haunting grin on his face. The ground beneath me shook and rumbled as a sudden plume of orange rose up at the end of the freighter. 

“What are you going to do Cara? Run away or fight?” He rose slowly, blood streaked over his body. His sadistic look chilled my blood. I looked for the others and knew what we had to do.

 _Get everyone you can off the ship. Go!_ I settled into a defensive stance and Lycus’ grin grew bolder. I didn’t know how this would end but I wasn’t about to let him win. I just had to hope everyone got off the ship. Glints of gold and blue shone true in the growing orange light. I knew sirens would sound soon enough and something was going to have to give. The sudden jerk of the freighter reminded me that time was short, and the crushing darkness was waiting to swallow us whole.

 

NINES

 

The rumble of the detonation rocked into the concrete beneath my feet as the wolves turned to stare at the flames. Cara’s command rolled through my mind and I rushed up onto the ship to help get as many off as possible. Connor and Hank had found their way up and were busy neutralizing any androids that attempted to stop us. As the ship jerked beneath me, I scanned to ensure that everyone was off the ship. Connor was busy struggling with a wolf as Hank moved away. Towards the front of the ship, where Cara and Lycus were.

The ship dropped again, and I fell to my knees. The back of the freighter was rapidly sinking into the ocean and soon we’d all be trapped without a way off. I sprinted after the wolf that had escaped Connor’s grasp. As I took the animal down, I instructed Connor to go after Hank. Connor raced passed and I palmed the wolf’s skull. I apologized silently as I struck its head against the ground. It went limp instantly. I rose and heard two distinct thumps. Turning, Cassie and Clay stood, fully human.

“Cassie take the wolf, we need to get everyone else off.” Clay didn’t spare anyone a glance as he took off towards the fight. I looked back to see Cassie springing up to safety before turning away. Dread filled me as I heard a single shot fire off into the night.

 

 

 

 

CARA

 

As everyone cleared off the ship, Lycus and I kept pushing further and further forward. We broke apart, my back to the bow. The bow had continued to rise in the air as the stern sank lower and lower. The dark depths of the ocean claimed more and more of the freighter. I took two far too slow steps forward as Hank came into view. Lycus’ face screwed up into sadistic pleasure as he disarmed Hank. With blurring speed, Lycus had the lieutenant’s wrists gathered into one of his clawed hands. Lycus’s evil smile bore into me as he peeked over the lieutenant’s shoulder.

The glinting black claws pressed against Hank’s throat. Hank’s wild eyes seemed to comprehend the gravity of our situation as Lycus forced him to take a step back. I held a hand out as Connor rushed onto the scene. Clay stumbled in and froze as Connor drew his weapon.

“Might want to lower that robo-bitch.” Lycus pressed those sharpened claws firmly on Hank’s throat. As the lieutenant swallowed harshly, a bead of crimson made its way down his throat.

“Release him or I’m going to bury this bullet in your skull.” Connor’s hands shook even as his voice held firm.

“Oh, Cara hasn’t told you,” Lycus’ voice was almost a purr of satisfaction as he and Hank took another step back.

“Fuck off Lycus, this is between us. Let Anderson go.” I snarled even as I shook, shaky steps carrying me forward. Nines had long ago entered the scene but wisely kept his weapon down.

“Oh Cara, aren’t you an easy bitch to read. I think I will just make Lieutenant Anderson a little geyser here. Why not?” I saw Nines’ arm twitch and Connor jerk.

“You’ve already lost Lycus. There’s no where for you to run and the ship is sinking fast. You’ve doomed yourself. Let Hank go and we can finish our tango.” Lycus had kept moving back and soon stood at the edge of the ship, a small opening in the lip of the ship his chosen spot. I felt my heart leap into my throat as I realize what he intended to do.

“No Cara, I don’t think I have lost. Just listen to that.” He tilted his head and I heard the distinct sound of chopper blades slicing the night air. Clay took a shaky step back before bolting off the ship. Soon I heard scrambling.

“Lycus, just let him g- “The words had not even fully formed when a shot rang out. Nines’ had blown Lycus’ elbow to shards. As he tilted back, I bolted forward. I gripped Hank’s jacket as my eyes connected with Lycus’. He smiled at me as he took aim. I yanked Hank forward, but it was too late, Lycus had shot a bullet right into Hank’s back. The spray of gore hit me as the bullet tore through Hank’s torso. I fell back, Hank lurching into my arms. Hank had fallen to his own weapon.

The bullet buried itself into my own torso. I lay Hank back, the blood pouring from the hole in his chest, I could see his damaged heart and lung. Shaking hands came up to apply pressure. I saw a pair of shoes in my blurred field of vision and felt the freighter buckle again. I held Hank close as inhuman speed closed the gap to the awaiting dock. As soon as my feet touched solid earth, I lay his form down again. He was still breathing, breath gurgling as pink bubbles fumed up. His eyes were unfocused, and fluttering shut.

“Cara you have to help him! Don’t let him die!” Connor’s frantic hands moved to apply pressure to the weeping wound. All I could see was red. Red LED, red rivers, red. So much red. Suddenly I was back in that dark forest, an impossibly large wolf in front of me. I could feel the fear in my muscles as I stared it in its golden eyes.

“I-I can’t. He should have a choice.” My voice was almost a whisper. Clay’s hands fell to the concrete beside me and I took Hank’s hand in my own. I remembered how hard the first days were. The chronic fear and pain. The lack of control. There was so much fear and pain. I felt trapped. Hank deserved so much better than that. He deserved to make an informed decision.

“Connor, keep pressure okay?” Clay’s hands came up to my face and I realized I was crying. “Cara, I can’t tell you what to do but whatever you pick, it has to be fast. No matter what you pick, there’s no turning back.” Clay’s grey blue eyes bore into me with a confidence and trust that he only granted a few people. His thumbs gently wiped away the scattered tears that trailed down my bloodied cheeks.

“He can’t die, not like this.” Connor was sobbing, his LED blaring red. At some point he had shed his jacket and was using it to staunch the bleeding. The dark fabric was growing darker and darker as time passed. My wolf strained inside me. She wanted to help. She didn’t care about my reservations. She knew we could save our pack member and wanted to do so. I looked to Hank’s paling face and then at his blood streaked hand.

“Hank, if you want to keep fighting, all I’m asking for is a signal. Please.”  No sooner had the words left my lips, his hand twitched around mine. My wolf surged forward with a ferocious pride. Shoving his sleeve down, I steeled myself. Taking a claw, I slit open the skin of my forearm, blood wept up to the surface. I took Hank’s arm, my wolf urging me on, and with a shaking breath sank my fangs into the soft flesh there.

“No going back now…” I heard the breath of words from Clay as I felt the venom drip into Hank. I clamped my lips firmly over his flesh and allowed my saliva to mingle with his blood. As the venom began to seep into his muscles, I disengaged my fangs.

“Connor, I need you to help me here. Make sure he drinks this, as much as possible and that he doesn’t choke.” I moved to place my arm at Hank’s paling lips. I could feel the wetness of his blood down my chin and throat as Connor massaged Hank’s throat. As he drank, I could hear his heart struggling to keep beating.

As it stuttered, I hoped I wasn’t too late. As I heard the looming whoop of the helicopters, I stared at Hank. Hank’s wound began to close. Clay moved to help me as a violent jerk seized the lieutenant’s body. Hank’s scream pierced the night as his back curved away from the concrete. Connor’s LED remained red as Nines jogged up.

 _Run Clay. Take Hank and run._ I met his eyes as I caught the encroaching steps of what I was sure were officers. Clay wasted no time. Connor watched, confusion coloring his face. The violent wind of helicopter blades buffeted us as Clay scooped Hank into his arms and bolted. Connor’s confusion lasted but a beat longer before he took off after them. _Nines, there’s no escaping this, I’m sorry, but I swear, I’m protecting you._ I leapt up, fist slamming into Nines’ thirium pump. His eyes widened as he collapsed to his knees. His hand flew up to the biocomponent and he doubled over.

I started to run but the distinct click of a safety froze me in place.

“Freeze! On your knees, hands on your head!” I looked Nines in the eye as I slowly lowered myself to my knees. My hands staying in sight as I did so, slowly coming to rest on my head. I heard the jeeps roar to life and tear out of here. _Cassie, tell the others not to go to the safe house. Listen to Clay. He knows where to go and what to do. Keep yourself safe._

I was roughly shoved to the ground, swallowing a snarl I lay there, eyes trained on Nines.

“Cara Argent you are under arrest for impeding a federal investigation, obstruction of justice and impersonating a federal officer.” My wrists were painfully yanked back and placed in handcuffs. I didn’t recognize the voice. He yanked me up and back onto my knees. This was not a good way to end the night. As the drones circled, I looked at the harbor. Lycus had managed to slip away but we had at least neutralized tonight’s threat. It should have felt like a victory but there was a bigger fight ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for everyone that read this. I'm sorry to end on a cliff hanger but the next installment is already in the works. Hopefully I'll start uploading it soon.


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